Harry Potter and the Call to War
by Charcoal feather
Summary: Leader's are not born, they are forged in the heat of conflict. Just as Hero's are recognized for their deeds. When the call to battle is issued once more who will answer. Who will face the challenge, and how can one boy find the strength to lead them all
1. Prologue: An Unholy Alliance

Disclaimer: all characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers. Not me. Sucks don't it!  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Preface: A Unholy Alliance  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A cold wind swept through the damp moor that they had chosen to gather at that evening. The twenty or thirty figures robbed in black drew their cloaks tighter to their bodies to try to maintain warmth. One week had passed and the insidious creature that was known as the Dark Lord had summoned his followers to him once more. Not a sound could be heard save for the echoes of some creature making its final gasp for life somewhere in the distance. Nothing grew in the mire that surrounded them nor did any beast tread upon this ground. This was a place of darkness where no light could escape. The black that surrounded them seemed to be alive, moving and reaching for anything that would cross it's path. Those who dared come here never returned, and over the centuries that passed since the beginning of time countless numbers meet their fate here. That was why they had gathered here in this cursed land. Though none knew of the plan that their master had concocted they would follow him to their death. The Dark Lord looked through eyes that held only hate and evil onto his unworthy followers. They were few and not nearly enough to meet his needs. Soon their numbers would grow and they would be more then two hundred strong. Still this was insignificant in the grander scheme of things. To wage a battle one needed warriors and supporters, but to wage a war one needed a army of unmatched strength. Though his supporters where inferior they were still necessary. Those with superior power and numbers always had a advantage. So, for the war he planned to wage he would need thousands upon thousands. Years ago he had to work in the shadows and hide his movements. Though the time was still to early to come to the surface he could afford the luxury of less then severe discretion. None would recognize his return save for Dumbledore and his followers. Without unity they would all be crushed to powder and then swept to the corners of the earth. So now he stood prepared to begin his new reign of terror in this unholy place.  
  
"Here my call oh legion that stalks the shadows of this wretched place! Answer my plea and grant me your presence so that I might speak with you in person! We come seeking your power, something that is unmatched in the world today!"  
  
The words were spat off his tongue with barely hidden disgust. The great Lord Voldemort did not grovel to any. However in order to get what you want sometimes it is better to stroke the ego of the one you want something of. A tremor rippled through the mire and the darkness around them seemed to thicken. Closing in upon them and threatening to choke the very breath from their lungs. The Dark Lord stood straight however, even as all the others around him began to crumple to the ground. Soon the darkness began to recede leaving the Death Eaters on the ground gasping for breath. The sound of there breathing the only thing that broke the unnatural silence that settled around them now that the darkness had retreated. However something else soon broke the unnatural calm.  
  
"Speak now, and pray your words please me or you will never leave this place." The voice was a mixture between a whisper and a shout. It boomed with authority, yet it fell upon their ears like a gust of wind that sends a chill down your spine. This was not the voice of a man. At least none that had tread the earth for thousands of years.  
  
"I come before you to ask your support, and in return I will offer you body beyond your current earthly prison." The Dark Lords unnatural voice echoed with the sound of a snake preparing to devour its prey. He choose to leave his offer short and sweat. He was not dealing with something that could be impressed with his words or acts. They both shared this in common, they were only interested in how one could serve the other.  
  
"How would you do this, and what would you want in return if I agreed?" A smile began to play across Voldemort's lips.  
  
"I require more who are ready to do my biding. How I would keep up my end of the bargain is my secret. However, I have brought a sample." Minutes past before the fiend that inhabited this vile landscape spoke again.  
  
"Prove what you have spoken to be true and I will grant your request. But be warned, if you attempt to turn on me than I will spend all of eternity torturing you."  
  
"Then it is agreed we will seal this new pact. We will be allies in a fight that will shape the future." Voldemort turned to one of his circle who stood behind him and made a gesture with his hand. The Death Eaters lead one of there number forward where he took a place by the Dark Lord. Voldemort turned to the figure beside him.  
  
"I trust you can sense the difference in this one?" Laughter filled the ears of all present and chilled their very souls.  
  
"This will do indeed, but you do realize this is not permanent and I will require more. Therefore our deal is thus, as long as you supply me with my needs then you will have your army. If you fail then my forces will destroy all you have gained before they fade like myself. Do you agree to these terms?" Voldemort eyes took on a wicked gleam that would shake the hearts of even the bravest fighters.  
  
"Very well, it is agreed. Now show me what I desire to see." The muck that was in front of the Dark Lord bubbled as a figure began to rise out of the tar like ooze that lay in puddles on the ground around them.  
  
No one doubted that what rose before them was not human, though it was somehow a kin to one. It stood a little over six foot tall and muscles rippled across it's mud colored skin. Long black hair, caked with mud, hung from it's head. The face itself seemed to have been mauled by beasts and sharpened teeth sprouted in it's mouth. Powerful arms ended in clawed hands that could rip into the strongest stone. It was clothed in stretched leather skins, only adding to it's wild look. It's entire being was intimidating and several Death Eaters took a step back from this new arrival.  
  
"This is what I offer you, thousands could be summoned in a few months time. However, as long as I remain here they are trapped within this land. They have the strengths of trolls and are loyal to the death. They have the tough skin of a dragon and will fight even when they have been wounded. Though they have little magic, you will find them deadlier than some of the most powerful wizards." Voldemort pushed the figure at his side forward before turning back to his Death Eaters.  
  
"When you accept the mark you bind yourself to me, and you will serve me even in death. Just like my most faithful follower here. Let this be a lesson to you all." Voldemort lowered the Death Eaters hood and revealed the vacant face of Barty Crouch Jr. to those who gathered.  
  
"Now take your part of the deal and this pact will be finalized."  
  
A breeze rushed through the clearing as the darkness began to concentrate itself. The temperature dropped as a freezing chill fell over all those present. A ball of black light shoot towards the mouth of the Crouch and soon the sounds of excruciating pain were ripped from the mans throat. A black cloud grew in the eyes of Crouch until no white remained. Crouch turned his head towards Voldemort and opened his mouth. The being that now inhabited Crouch's body spoke the first words that it had uttered out of a human mouth in over ten millennium.  
  
"And darkness will fall upon the world for all eternity!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Please R/R! Thanx 


	2. Chapter 1: Beginning a Journey

Harry Potter and the Call to War  
  
Chapter 1: Beginning a Journey  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, all belongs to the mighty JKR and Warner Brothers! Big surprise isn't it?  
  
  
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore had been very busy since the end of the school year. He no longer had time to sit in his office and ponder memories of the past. Now was not the time to focus on mistakes and over sites long gone. For as he told Harry, it doesn't due to dwell in the past and forget to live. So now he had to focus on preparing for the future. He couldn't allow Voldemort to rise without opposition once more. Until Voldemort came out of hiding he would be alone in this fight.  
  
Since his falling out with the Minster of Magic he had not bothered to attempt gaining the Ministries support. This meant that he was left to using his own resources. No one was left without a task to perform, although some tasks are more dangerous then others. He regretted having to send friends off into situations that could mean their deaths, but he had no choice in the matter.  
  
His thoughts turned to the boy who had left the safety of Hogwarts castle just a short while ago. Harry had already been through so much, and yet the weight of responsibility refused to ease off his shoulders. Albus knew that the day of Voldemort's return would come and that it was unavoidable. Still he hoped that Harry would have been a bit older before he would have to face this particular trial.  
  
All these thoughts made him regret what he was forced to do next just a bit more. The wounds were still so fresh in the boy, but no one else would do for the task at hand. The path would be dangerous and he would be away from the protective spells that surrounded the Dursley's home. Alas, no other way would do.  
  
So this brought him to the meeting he was attending now. The lumbering form of Rubeus Hagrid was squashed in a chair in his office. Next to him sat a man in old robes that had been stitched together to many times.  
  
Remus Lupin looked a bit different now that he had reclaimed a old friend once thought to be foe. He was no longer alone with the memories that plagued his past. A spark that had not burned since a night long ago was awakened in the werewolf's eyes. He had managed to recapture some of the lost youth that had been violently ripped away from him.  
  
"Welcome Remus and Hagrid my dear friends. I do apologize for the circumstances surrounding our meeting and I pray that when we meet next it be on happier terms." The twinkle that resided in the old wizards eyes dimmed a bit, but he continued onward.  
  
"You both are well aware of the events that transpired at the end of the school year. That is why I must ask a favor of the both of you." Remus eyed the old main carefully. He had known that Hagrid was being sent to the giant's camp in hopes of striking peace. What had this to do with him. Surely he wouldn't be needed for such a task.  
  
"Hagrid, I do believe that you will be setting forth with Madame Maxime later this week correct?" Hagrid shook his head in the affirmative.  
  
"Just as I hoped, now that brings us to the point of our meeting. I have concerns that more concrete evidence will be needed to convince our friends of the danger present once more. So, I've had Severus provide me with this." Dumbledore withdrew a vial of clear liquid from his pocket and set it on the table.  
  
A million thoughts raced through Remus' mind. He had immediately recognized the truth potion that was placed before him, but he had no idea how it would help. Even under the influence of a truth potion Hagrid would only be able to speak of what he had been told. Though this would prove that Hagrid was being honest to the best of his knowledge, it would do nothing to provide more validation. So he decided to voice his concerns.  
  
"Sir, I hardly understand how a truth potion will help Hagrid in this circumstance. I am even more baffled as to how I come into this equation." Dumbledore's smile faded a bit.  
  
"Alas that brings us to the evidence required and to your purpose at this meeting. The truth potion is not for use on Hagrid." Hagrid then voiced the next question that was on his mind.  
  
"An' who do yeh want us ter use it on?" Hagrid leaned forward to get a better seat in his chair.  
  
"Before you leave I would like you to make a stop in Surrey and pick up the only witness we currently have for the time being." Dumbledore didn't get to continue because Remus had interjected into his sentence.  
  
"Albus! You can't be serious, that's to dangerous for Harry. Sirius would never allow Harry to go to the giant's settlement." Hagrid continued where Remus left off.  
  
"We don' even know where they are. Ther' beasts an' such, it could take months ter find em alone." Dumbledore let out a long sigh.  
  
"I am quite aware of the perils of the journey. That is why I am sending you along as added protection. Hopefully you will be able to teach Harry to protect himself along the way. But I see this as being our only option in this matter." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair.  
  
"As for this being to dangerous for him. It saddens me to say that he has become well used to facing danger. Perhaps this journey will prepare him for the future, so that he will not face danger unarmed." Remus and Hagrid listened to these words and they to felt pain for the boy whose childhood had been stripped from him.  
  
"I suppose yer right sir, I just wish it weren't so true." Hagrid rubbed his eyes to hold back tears that threatened to fall.  
  
********  
  
Severus Snape made his way into the mouth of the cave that loomed before him. He had finally come to his destination after days of searching. His search had lead him somewhere into the forests of Bulgaria, and he was regretting ever agreeing to this particular assignment.  
  
He realized that he was in a very tenuous position now that the Dark Lord had returned from his bodiless exile. Would it be possible to continue his spy work, and if it was did he even want to? Questions swirled through his mind. Questions that screamed for answers, though there seemed to be none. On the one hand it would be laughable for the Dark Lord to just accept him back with open arms. He knew that answering the call would be a death sentence. On the other hand he was the only highly placed spy they currently had.  
  
Severus knew what his choice would be. If it would be possible he would return to the service of the Dark Lord. However that was not what he was currently doing. No today he was to be dealing with a much different matter. The man he was searching for was a pathetic coward. Briefly he mused over how cowards seemed to be thriving these days while brave men died. Perhaps he would have to devote more time to thinking of this concept. Cowards like Fudge rose to high positions of power, while men like Dumbledore were considered fools. Even Potter, though he hated to admit it, displayed unmatched courage and where did that get him. Potter had been branded a lunatic and dangerous to himself. If it weren't for Dumbledore they would have thrown him to Azkaban long ago. Snape smirked at the thought of Potter being carted off to Azkaban. This was a world were those who stood up against evil were thrown to hell.  
  
A fallen rock and the light of a fire brought Snape's attention back to the present. He had a act to play and he couldn't let his guard down. While his quarry was cowardly he was still dangerous.  
  
Snape raised the hood of his black robes and pulled his wand from his pocket. He cast a charm to detect traps designed to alert someone or kill intruders and was not surprised to find numerous ones present. Snape crouched down next to the wall of the cave and took in his surroundings.  
  
The cave was wide but seemed to narrow down the further back you went. It was nearly pitch black, and you could feel the moisture that collected on the rock walls. There was probably another exit so he would have to be careful not to alert his prey of his presence.  
  
Snape began to mutter counter charms ands secrecy spells on himself in hopes of going unnoticed by the alarm charms. Snape moved slowly through the cave and approach the fire that centered his quarry's campsite. There wasn't much, just a trunk and a sleeping bag laid out on the ground.  
  
Seeing the lump in the bag that was in the shape of a person Snape moved closer. He gave a ruff kick and received a grunt in reply. Soon the figure in the bag opened his eyes and tried to get up and run without getting out of the sleeping bag. The result was quite comical, the man simply fell over and ran his head into the floor. This caused him to admit a scream of pain and clutch his head which now released a stream of blood. He rolled over revealing the face of Karkaroff the Durmstrang Headmaster.  
  
"Oh God! Please have mercy on me! I was weak and there is no excuse for my crime of betrayal. I beg you!" Karkaroff pleaded at Snape's feet and Snape loved every minute of it. Instead of replying he simply summoned Karkaroff's wand from where it was set next to the fire and pointed his own at Karkaroff.  
  
"Why should I have mercy on you, you betrayed the master and your fellow Death Eaters! For this you will receive death." Snape shouted the stunning spell and Karkaroff fell silent once more.  
  
The plan had worked he had reclaimed Karkaroff for Dumbledore without revealing he was a spy. Now he would take Karkaroff back to Dumbledore where he would do whatever he had planned. Snape didn't know what Dumbledore's plans for this man included, but he had done his part.  
  
Snape levitated Karkaroff behind him and made his way to the mouth of the cave once more. He would take a Portkey to the edge of Hogsmede and walk the rest of the way to Hogwarts.  
  
However the evening was not to be so uneventful. No sooner had he reached the edge of the cave than he meet a sight that made his heart stand still. Five Death Eaters and Voldemort himself stood waiting for him. Snape quickly made peace with himself, but death was not what he received.  
  
"Severus, how nice to see you. I feared that you had betrayed me when you did not answer my summons. Perhaps I was mistaken. We heard what you said to Karkaroff, and it warmed my heart to find such loyalty." Severus smirked, not because of the praise, because he found it amusing to equate Voldemort to having a heart.  
  
Snape knew this was his only chance to escape death. He would have to turn Karkaroff over to Voldemort. He was not some foolish Gryffindor who refused to leave a fallen friend behind and for that he hated himself. Potter risked his life to bring back a fallen comrade and he would turn someone over to Voldemort if it meant a chance to live on. He soothed his mind by considering what use he would be if he was dead.  
  
"Master, when I felt the mark burn I was still at Hogwarts. I couldn't leave and risk being suspected. When I saw Karkaroff try to escape I decided to track him down and bring him to you to face his punishment." Snape loathed himself for his own actions.  
  
"Yes Severus, I know you have always been loyal to me. Now why don't we leave this place for one of more comfort where we can deal with this trash." Voldemort threw Snape a small skull.  
  
Snape nodded and while the remaining Death Eaters took care of Karkaroff he activated the Portkey.  
  
******  
  
Sirius Black moved in the shadows of the English countryside. He had been sent to gather the old crowd. This was by no means an easy task, due to the fact that many had decided to apparently drop off the face of the earth. Sirius was left with no real place to look for his old friends.  
  
After Voldemort's fall most had fallen out of direct contact. So it fell upon his shoulders to track down as many of them as he could. They'd need support for the times to come and the more he got the better. The Ministry was not making things any easier. By suppressing news of Voldemort's return in the papers they deprived this knowledge from the people who really needed to hear it. Thereby creating the need for this needle in a hay stack hunt.  
  
The fact that those he had found first tried to blow his head off before letting him speak didn't help matters. He was now reaching the house of one such woman.  
  
Brin McAuliffe had graduated four years ahead of him and if anyone had stayed in contact with everyone it would be her. The only problem was that she also had moved her house to a unplottable location after the war. Finding a house that couldn't be located was never a easy thing. He had narrowed down the area where she was likely to be and now he was going to try to send her a owl. Luckily Dumbledore had given him a letter that vouched for his innocence. So after attaching a note that said they needed to talk but her damn house keeps moving, he sent the owl off and followed it the best he could.  
  
While humans cannot just find a unplottable object owls seem to have that particular ability. So after traveling at top speed for around twenty minutes Sirius came to a small house inside the base of a very large tree. The tree grew in odd directions, with gigantic limbs going everywhere. This house was entirely Brin, simply no doubt about it.  
  
Sirius watched the owl fly through what appeared to be a squirrel hole and disappear into the tree. Ten minutes latter a short plump witch with a kindly smile and blonde hair stepped out of the tree. Sirius cringed for a moment to see her not looking to happy. Perhaps because the last time he saw her he had turned her hair purple for a week.  
  
"SIRIUS BLACK!!! You get your mangy behind out from behind wherever it is before I have to...Well before I do something you don't like very much!" Sirius slowly approached her making sure to have his wand at hand.  
  
He didn't get much of a chance to do anything because he soon found himself in a bear hug reminiscent of Molly Weasley.  
  
"How dare you escape Azkaban and not drop me a letter. Two years and you didn't find the time to drop me a letter that says 'Oh by the way I'm innocent'. I have half a mind to hex you from here to Romania." Sirius just burst into a huge grin. He hoped for a warm welcome and he had not been disappointed.  
  
"Oh were are my manners, come on inside and have something to eat. You are looking far to thin for my liking. What brings you by my neck of the woods anyway?" Sirius sighed and his grin fell.  
  
"I'm afraid we have much to talk about, and even more work to do." Brin immediately changed expressions as well. This was the serious Sirius, and she knew that meant trouble.  
  
"Sure come in, we'll talk tonight and then begin whatever needs to be begun in the morning" Sirius followed Brin into the house and began to prepare how he would tell her that their nightmares had come to life.  
  
******  
  
  
  
Harry Potter sat in his bedroom at Number 4 Privet Drive. These four walls had been the only thing he had been privileged to see since he left Hogwarts. Which depending on how you look at it could be a good thing.  
  
The Dursley's had taken to ignoring him and going completely out of there way just so they could avoid being in the same room. If Harry didn't know better he'd suspect that he was the only one living in the house.  
  
His uncle had laid down some basic rules upon his return which basically came down to stay in his room. He could tell that his uncle was not to pleased with him after the Weasley's visit the year prior. However they made no mention of it to Harry.  
  
Harry considered this a blessing because he didn't like to think much of the year before. He knew that the events that transpired where not his fault. He had made peace with himself over the death of Cedric Diggory. What was done was done and you couldn't change the past. He had done all he could for Cedric and even brought his body back with him.  
  
Though Harry knew he could have done nothing to save him there were still feelings of regret over the whole matter. All centering around a decision he had made over a year ago. The decision to spare the life of Peter Pettigrew.  
  
It was somewhat ironic when he thought of it. He had spared Pettigrew's life, and Cedric was killed for being just a spare. Guilt was a very interesting thing to Harry. His whole life had been filled with what ifs and seemed that it would remain that way.  
  
Thinking of this had brought him to a personal revelation which would set the way he lived. One could not predict the future, but our choice now have implications on it. So it's up to us to make choices that we can be proud of despite the fact that the results were not what we had expected.  
  
Harry was proud that he choose to share the trophy with Cedric. It was the right thing to do, and you can't be responsible for what you don't know. It's up to each of us to make the appropriate decision at the right time.  
  
Harry's worries centered around his friends now. He could never look at them the same way. Even thinking about them brought thoughts of how easily life could be taken. How easily they could be taken from his life. This thought scared him, he had already lost his parents and he couldn't afford to lose his friends. Yet times would not get any easier.  
  
Harry ached to be out doing more than sitting in his bedroom. He wanted to be able to step forward and help in any way permitted. For now Dumbledore had told him to stay here and do nothing.  
  
Harry didn't blame Dumbledore for his over site the year before. They say hind sight is 20/20 and that expression would always be true. Dumbledore was not omniscient and couldn't be expected to be. To expect that from Dumbledore would make him guilty of what he felt everyone did to him.  
  
Harry closed the book he had been reading from to prepare himself for bed. They would just have to face what came when it did. Unfortunately that also applied true for living with the Dursley's. Tomorrow Harry would be facing his most beloved Aunt Marge.  
  
Harry laid down on his bed and fell asleep with a grin on his face. His last thoughts were of how big of a canary his Aunt would make.  
  
*****  
  
  
  
A/N : Another chapter finished!!! Next Chapter may be out by the Weekend. We'll probably see Hagrid and Remus meeting with Harry and collecting supplies. We'll see Dumbledore talking to Snape over the fate of Karkaroff. I haven't completely decided if I'll add in the next portion of Sirius and Brin. But I probably will have the return of Rita Skeeter as well as a bit of Voldie. Thnx to those who reviewed and remember. The more reviews the happier I become.  
  
R/R thnx 


	3. Chapter 2: Portents of the Future

Harry Potter and the Call to War  
  
Chapter 2: Portents of the Future  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, all belongs to the JKR and Warner Brothers! If it were mine it would probably suck!  
  
******  
  
Severus Snape walked through the halls of Hogwarts on his way to meet the Headmaster. After spending a night and most of a day with the Dark Lord he was visibly drained. It still made him laugh to think of how easily he could slip back into the old routine. It felt like a familiar mask that to easily fell into place. He was scared to realize that after fifteen years he could so quickly revert to turning a blind eye at human beings being tortured to death.  
  
The previous night had been a grand party which he was still trying to suppress the details of. Which was simply just a meager attempt to forget about what he would have to recall for Albus this afternoon. Still a reprieve just for the moment was still a reprieve.  
  
Snape stopped for a moment before rushing to the nearest bathroom to vomit the contents of his stomach into the sink. Snape turned on the cold water and splashed some on his weary face. Cupping his hands he let the cool water build before drinking it to soothe his burned throat. His gaze landed upon the mirror where he faced his own pale reflection. Not the least bit surprised to see that he could no longer recognize the face in the mirror.  
  
One mistake had ruined his entire future. He was now marked and would remain as such. Even if it would be possible to remove the physical evidence of his mistake he could never cleanse his soul. He searched the mirror for some vague memory of who stood before him. However he could no longer connect himself to his past. All he saw where images of the crimes he committed and the pain he caused. Even to this day he was forced to harm others to protect himself and his position.  
  
Snape hated what he saw in himself. Mostly because he couldn't see anything. In a rage he slammed his fist into the mirror causing it to shatter and bite into his hand. Blood dripped into the sink and clung to where his fist made contact with the glass.  
  
Disgust, anger, hate, and pain were the only things he had left to keep him going. Loneliness was all that promised to await his future. He was empty and that is how he would remain.  
  
The other Professor's had learned to keep away from him because they didn't want to get snapped at. Snape let a sneer come over his face. His own loneliness was not caused by others. He couldn't blame Black for the way he had turned out. He had his chance at redemption, yet he continued to punish himself. He had turned into his own worst enemy.  
  
How many more times could he kill in the name of protecting others. It's funny how in order to protect some innocent lives others must be taken. This was the life of a spy, putting the lives of the masses above the ones that would be already lost.  
  
Snape felt dirty after the previous nights events. He wanted to fall into the shower and let the water pour over his body. Releasing him of his guilt and damnation that refused to leave. He longed for the day that he would finally be free from the weight that continually dragged him down.  
  
A long time ago he had come to the conclusion that he was damned to hell. No amount of penance would redeem him of his crimes. So after finding his calm in the knowledge that he would one day pay his debt he set fourth once more for the Headmasters office.  
  
The halls of Hogwarts were always quite in the summer time. No students voices to clutter your thoughts and no one getting in your way. Snape despised the children, they were always so naïve. Sometimes he wondered why he ever choose to take Albus's offer to be a teacher. He disliked teaching those who still believed that all is beautiful in the world. Perhaps that's why he favored the Slytherins, they seemed to have a more accurate idea of what the world was truly like.  
  
Soon Snape found himself standing before the gargoyle that guarded the office of the headmaster. "Gum drops" the gargoyle stepped to the side revealing the stairway. Snape slowly climbed the stairs and knocked on the large wooden doors that secured the entrance.  
  
"Come in!" the headmaster's depressively cheery voice came from the other side. Why was that man always sounding so damn happy.  
  
Snape pushed through the door open and took a seat in the chair in front of the headmasters desk. The office never changed much, it still had the same cheery colors and the various magical items sprinkled here and there.  
  
"Good afternoon headmaster, we have much to talk about." Snape's voice betrayed the depressed mood he had fallen into since his return from what he affectionately called hell.  
  
"Did you find him then, and if so where is he?" Dumbledore had put away what he was working on in favor of the new information he was about to be presented with.  
  
"Yes Albus, I did manage to locate Karkaroff." Snape said trying to suppress the weariness that suddenly feel over his entire being.  
  
"Then where is he, we have much to discuss. Is he in the castle now?" Dumbledore was quite excited to have something going his way for once. Recently he had only received bad news.  
  
"No, I'd imagine he's currently in the Dark Lord's dungeon at the moment. Probably undergoing some type of torture." Snape rolled the word's off his tongue like he was simply talking about the weather.  
  
"What do you mean Voldemort has him? Did he get there first? You must tell me exactly what happened." Beneath the surface Dumbledore had become very concerned for Severus. Perhaps by understanding what he had gone through to bring this change could help.  
  
"It seems that fate has decided to make our decisions for us Albus." Snape let his words trail in the air. A cold laugh rolled from his mouth as he thought about how just a few days earlier they weren't sure if he would even get the chance to rejoin.  
  
Snape then explained the events that transpired the prior night. He told of how it had turned into a grand party to torture the betrayer and kill some Muggles who had been rounded up as party favors. They had used Muggle women before killing them, and made their husbands watch all the while. They had tortured children while allowing their cries to fall on their parents ears. For in Voldemort's army it wasn't enough to simply kill, you had to break their spirits first.  
  
"You don't have to go back Severus. We can gain information through other methods. It isn't necessary for you to spy any longer." Though this was a lie, Albus was willing to make due for the sanity of his friend.  
  
"You know as well as I that I am our only current source of information. Besides, Karkaroff is as good as dead. We might as well take whatever good can come of it." Snape had resigned himself to his chosen path.  
  
"Karkaroff's death does come as a blow. I had hoped he would return to Durmstrang. The last thing we need now is for a change in leadership with a potential ally. We can only hope Voldemort doesn't influence the selection of the new headmaster. At least with Karkaroff we could be assured that he wouldn't turn back to Voldemort." Dumbledore released a heavy sigh. He had hoped to be able to unite the three prominent European magical schools against Voldemort. Now his task would be that much harder.  
  
"I am not entirely sure where Voldemort currently is or what he is planning, but I have been invited back for Karkaroff's death. It is to be a private ceremony, and only observed by the inner circle. Voldemort said that he would show how even a traitor could be useful to him. I am not sure of his meaning, but he is scheduled for execution early next weak. I'm hoping to help him along quicker so he will be sparred whatever Voldemort has in store for him." Snape leaned back in his chair and turned his gaze to the flickering flames of the fire place.  
  
"Very well, I just advice you to be careful. In the meanwhile you should stay here at the castle in case I have need of you."  
  
"Yes headmaster. If you don't mind I am a bit tired now and would appreciate a good rest. So if you don't have anything further to discuss I would like to retire to my quarters." Snape suppressed a yawn which fought to overwhelm him.  
  
"You may my friend, and I pray your rest is a peaceful one. Perhaps some dreamless sleep potion is in order?" Dumbledore watched as Severus left the room. Soon he found himself wondering if allowing Severus to spy was actually a wise idea.  
  
******  
  
Harry walked down the hallway to his bedroom at 4 Privet drive. Today could only be described as a living hell for him. When he wasn't being told how scrawny and worthless he was, he had to listen to how great Dudley was. Apparently Aunt Marge had been terribly disappointed to not get a chance to yell at him the last time she was in. The Ministry did a good job of changing what she remembered of her last visit.  
  
No sooner did Harry sit down and open his Transfiguration book then his name was bellowed once more. So after resigning himself to the fact that there would be no escape from the Dursley's he made his way back downstairs.  
  
"About time boy, you should be more prompt when called. Doesn't that school of yours teach you any type of manners?" Harry had lost count of how many different things she decided to yell at him about. However he was quite surprised that she hadn't run out of new material yet.  
  
Vernon just sat on the couch giving Harry the evil eye. Harry wondered if his uncle expected him to inflate her again. If Harry had his choice he'd simply add her to the bouncing ferret club and let it be done with.  
  
"Why don't you do something useful, like bring me a brandy. I can't believe your Aunt and Uncle are willing to put up with your mangy self." Harry walked to the serving table and poured his Aunt a glass of Brandy, all the while considering whether he'd get into trouble for one canary cream on a Muggle.  
  
"He's your drink Aunt Marge." Harry handed her the glass and then took his place back on the sofa.  
  
"Just like his parents, this one is. Lazy as all get out and worthless to boot. I still say you should never have allowed him into your house." Harry pleaded with the fates for that to have been a possibility. Alas it wasn't and he had been doomed to this life.  
  
"Good for nothing they were, deserved what they got. It's just to bad this on didn't die with them." All right, Harry had begun to get a bit annoyed. He didn't let anyone talk about his parents that way, especially fat Muggles who don't deserve to even utter their names.  
  
"You can talk about me as much as you want. However, I will not tolerate you bad mouthing my parents." Harry tried to remain calm and keep his temper in check. It would do him no good to get in trouble for the use of magic outside of school.  
  
"Did you hear him speak to me like that Vernon? You going to let him get away with that?" She turned to Vernon as if she expected him to fly off the handle.  
  
"Certainly not! Now see here boy, you will not speak to your aunt so disrespectfully. She is only stating the truth and the sooner you realize it the better off you'll be. Your parents were worthless and so are you!" If it had not been for the ringing of the front door, something more might have transpired. However Harry quickly moved to answer it and avoid the impending explosion.  
  
Harry opened the front door to confront to figures who did not belong amongst the normalcy that was Privet Drive.  
  
"Hagrid! Professor Lupin! What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see anyone until the beginning of the year. You can come in, however my Aunt Marge is here and it may not be to pleasant of a visit." Professor Lupin entered into the house followed by Hagrid who had to duck to get through the doorway.  
  
"Not to worry Harry, we won't be staying long. In fact we came to discuss a few matters and then you will be coming with us. Is there a place we can talk?" Harry thought about where to take them. Hagrid wouldn't fit in his bedroom and the Dursley's were in the living room, so they'd have to use the kitchen.  
  
"Sure right this way." Harry lead the way into the kitchen before speaking again.  
  
"It's been a long time since I've seen you Professor. Though I am happy to see you I trust this isn't a social call." Harry embraced his former teacher and then moved on to give Hagrid a hug as well.  
  
"Please call me Remus, Professor makes me feel old." Remus grinned as he took his seat at the table.  
  
"So what brings you to the center of Muggle hell this fine day?" Truth be told Harry was actually quite concerned over the implications of this visit. Sirius or one of his friends could be in grave danger.  
  
"Yer right Harry, its not a social call at all. We're on Hogwart's business today." Hagrid had a smile on his face. This helped to put Harry at ease. Thoughts of a early return to Hogwarts and a escape from the Dursley's filled his mind.  
  
Harry was about to ask what business they were on and how it concerned him when his Aunt stepped into the kitchen and screamed. Before you could say Quidditch the rest of the Dursley family was streaming into the kitchen. Vernon was the first to speak as his face began to change to a very bright red.  
  
"How dare you let your freakish kind into my house! Get out, get out right this minute." Aunt Marge choose this moment to add in her two sense.  
  
"You should call the bobby's on them. Just like this boy to bring more criminals into the house. You could always tell he was trouble. Just like his good for nothing parents." You could feel the temperature drop in the room. Even Vernon knew that was not the right thing to say in front of these people. His nephew was one thing, but these were fully grown wizards and Hagrid was more then intimidating. However Marge didn't recognize the icy stares she was now on the receiving end of.  
  
"I told you that you should of just killed the runt when he was a baby and be done with it." That had pushed Remus to far, and with a flick of his wand Aunt Marge was no longer standing in the kitchen. In her place was a rather fat walrus that seemed to be very confused.  
  
"You turn my sister back you freak, before I do call for help!" Remus gaze did not waver at the fat man who was now irately screaming before him.  
  
"She'll turn back in a hour and be none the wiser, now you better leave before you spend the next hour as a cock roach." Vernon paled before grabbing his son and running from the kitchen. Harry turned to Remus and tried to suppress the smile that had been growing on his face.  
  
"Now what were we talking about before we were rudely interrupted?" Harry snickered as he looked over to where the Walrus was now sleeping on the carpet.  
  
Remus explained Dumbledore's plan to bring Harry with them to the giant's camp. Harry was quite excited at the prospect of getting to do something for the war, and he was more than willing to agree. At this point Harry would have agreed to going as a ambassador to the Dementor's as long as he was helping in some way.  
  
"So, when do we leave?" Harry was already to get up and leave right then and there. Sensing the boy's excitement Remus answered his question.  
  
"We leave tomorrow morning. We will be traveling to Diagon Alley to collect supplies today and then we will stay at the Leaky Cauldron where a Port key to the edge of Wizard territory will await us in the morning. Seeing that the Giant's are nomadic we will be forced to travel on foot and by broom from there to locate them. The Headmaster has arranged that after we leave Wizard territory you will be allowed to use magic so you will need your wand. Madame Maxime will meet us at the Port key point in the morning." Remus gave Harry a camping pack and instructed him to fetch clothes and anything he would need, including his broom. Harry was also informed that anything he didn't bring would be sent to Hogwarts.  
  
"What about Ron and Hermione, what if they try to owl me while I'm away?" Harry was concerned about his friends being afraid for his disappearance.  
  
"They have been told that you will be away and not to send you mail until they are told they can. We are going completely covertly. So no one will be able to find us except for the Headmaster and Fawkes. Other then that we will have no communication till we return." Harry nodded and then went to prepare his pack for the trip.  
  
Harry choose to bring his invisibility cloak with him, just in case he needed it, then gathered his clothes and broom. After sealing his pack the rest of his belongings disappeared from his room. Then after saying good bye to Hedwig and promising to see her at the start of term he sent her off to Hogwart's as well.  
  
Back in the kitchen Harry meet back up with Hagrid and Remus who were just standing to leave themselves.  
  
"How are we traveling to Diagon Alley?" Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to see the fireplace blown up once more to make room for their exit.  
  
"We have a Port Key which should take us out to Gringott's. Dumbledore has supplied us with funds for any necessities we will need. Now we should be off." With that the unusual group left Privet Drive for adventures untold. As they Port keyed away Harry realized just how weird their group was. A wizard in training, a half giant and a werewolf, and they were even headed to a bar. It sounded like the start of some very bad joke. Before he had time to laugh he felt the pull behind his navel that signified the Port key taking effect.  
  
Harry landed in Diagon Alley still snickering over the irony of their group. It felt good to be back in the Wizarding world. He had actually missed his trip to Diagon Alley the year before. So he was glad to see the familiar shops that lined the alley once more. They first made their way to the Apothecary where they picked up many healing herbs for their trip as well as some poisons that they could use to kill animals for food without ruining the meet. After that they made there way to Flourish and Blott's were Remus picked up several books to help prepare Harry, as well as a few on giant customs so they could prepare for the meeting. They stopped at Madam Malkims so that Harry could pick up some sturdy traveling robes and some that were designed for free motion while fighting. After making a few more stops to pick up provisions they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron where they checked in for the night to rest for the journey that would begin the next day.  
  
******  
  
Hermione Granger sat in a large comfy chair reading her History of Magic book to pass the time until dinner. She had received news that Harry would be unreachable for the rest of the summer, yet the reason why was not revealed. She had also received a letter from Professor Dumbledore that still made her chuckle at the thought of it. Reaching over to her desk she grabbed the letter again.  
  
Dear Mrs. Granger,  
  
It has come to my attention that you have come into possession of a rather unusual creature. If it is at all possible I would appreciate you sending me this very rare specimen. I do believe that it is the only example of a Beetle/Rat we have ever seen. You may send it back with this owl. I assure you that this specimen will be well taken care of and very useful to us in the future.  
  
Sincerely Headmaster Dumbledore  
  
Hermione still wasn't sure how he had come to the knowledge that she had captured Rita Skeeter, but she had promptly attached the jar with the unbreakable charm to the bird and sent it on it's way. This would surely teach that witch not to mess with a Granger ever again.  
  
Hermione had been very worried about her friend Harry Potter, and now that she wasn't even sure of his location she was even more worried. Ron Weasley had sent her a letter that said he had no idea where Harry was as well. However he did say that Harry was doing something important for Dumbledore. Whatever it was she prayed that it wouldn't lead him into any danger. Little did she know that Harry would now be on a collision course with one of the first major battles in these dark times. For now she could only pray for his safety.  
  
******  
  
Lord Voldemort stood in his throne room in the newly risen Dark Castle. He had a very pleasing day, and expected to have more to come. He had made the call for his Dementor's and told them to remain where they were for now. He also had one of his faithful return to his fold, as well as one who had betrayed him. Now before he retired he had one more piece of business to attend to.  
  
"Wormtail, come before me now!" A balding man walked before the form of the Dark Lord and then fell to his knees in supplication.  
  
"How might I serve you master?" Peter remained on his knees before his masters throne.  
  
"You will take several of my new servants as well as some of my followers and travel to the giant's to extend my hand once more to them. I believe that fool Dumbledore will attempt to reach them first so I want you to track down those he sends and kill them. The giants have become reclusive so even I know not where they are. After you destroy Dumbledore's envoy you will have to track them down for yourselves. Pray you do not fail me." Voldemort's voice was icy and cared with it death threats that one wouldn't doubt he would carry out.  
  
"Yes my Lord, When do you wish me to leave?" Wormtail remained in his prostrated position.  
  
"You will leave after the death of Karkaroff, I want you there to witness this event. Now leave me in peace." Voldemort made a gesture with his hand and Wormtail backed out of the room. Never allowing his head to raise to meet his masters eyes.  
  
*******  
  
  
  
A/N: Another Chapter done! REJOICE, yes go me. Anyway hope you liked it! Look for the First week of Harry's journey next chapter, as well as Snape's attempt to make Karkaroff's death a peaceful one, also we see what's happening with Arthur Weasley and Minister Fudge, not to mention Brin and Sirius begin to gather scattered forces, we should see Dumbledore exerting some force over Rita as well and possibly we'll see Wormtail closing in on our intrepid adventurers. Thnx to those who read and reviewed. And look for the next chapter around Wednesday maybe earlier but that would be the latest. Depending on if I add anything to the next chapter.  
  
R/R please, as it makes me write happier. 


	4. Chapter 3: Hunters and Prey

Harry Potter and the Call to War  
  
Chapter 3: Hunters and Prey  
  
Disclaimer: Everything is owned by JKR, Seeing as I am not Al Gore I will not try to claim inventing it. HEHEHE, My dry attempt at political wit. It was funny to me! You know the whole trying to claim the Internet thing. Your not laughing? OK so maybe it wasn't that funny. Boy everyone's a critic! Do people even read this?  
  
A/N: In order to maintain a sense of continuity and to make sure my readers understand the Chronology of events I will be including a calendar.  
  
Prologue: The events occurred sometime prior to the official end of the school year. Chapter 1: These events all took place on June the 14th which is a Friday. Chapter 2: These events took place on June 15th which is a Saturday. Mentioned in this Chapter was the scheduled death of Karkaroff which was scheduled early the following week. This does not mean a full seven days. This only refers to the start of the new week about to begin. This also clears up how much of a head start Harry will have on Wormtails party.  
  
Though my dating system was not a problem before, this chapter will cover the events of a full week. Therefore I thought it could get a bit confusing so I'm adding dates to the beginnings of the sections. This will help me as I start to weave the story around a bit. Now without further ado the next chapter!  
  
****** Harry, Sunday June 16th through the morning of Saturday June 22nd ******  
  
Harry was awoken by Remus early the following morning, he still could hardly believe that so much changed in the course of one afternoon at the Dursley's. He had gone from having to spend a entire summer locked in his room to traveling out side of protected Wizard grounds. Soon they would be traveling to lands where Wizards hardly traveled to and Muggles weren't even aware existed.  
  
For normal children the chance to travel abroad was something of great excitement, but to Harry it was something of a dream. Harry had long ago resigned himself to the belief that he would not be able to see the world. Even when he found out he was a wizard he still was confined to the small section of Europe that was Surrey. He had never been aloud to go with his relative's when they took vacations, always forced to remain behind. So this was a very rare pleasure for him.  
  
After a quick breakfast Remus opened a letter that was waiting at the bar with Tom the barkeep. Inside was a piece of parchment with the phrase tally-ho written upon it. Harry looked to the envelope to see if something else was inside, but alas it was empty. Was Dumbledore playing some strange form of a joke on them? One could never quite discern what he was truly aiming to accomplish.  
  
"Well? What does he expect us to do with a parchment that says Tally- ho." But before Harry got a chance to finish his sentence the most odd feeling overcame him. The feeling was strangely reminiscent of a very powerful suction all over his body. It wasn't unpleasant, but still no stroll in the park. As quickly as the feeling came it vanished and Harry found himself in a very different environment then the one he had left.  
  
He was now standing at the top of a small hill that overlooked a great forest. The forest stretched far beyond him, almost as if it where a carpet of green lying above the ground. Beyond the forest mountains blocked the horizon. Tall mountains that looked like they touched the very heavens themselves. Snow topped their peaks giving them a cold and frigid look, but it didn't take away from the sheer magnanimous beauty of what lay before him.  
  
A plopping noise broke the silence and Harry soon took notice of the arrival of his fellow travelers. The looked like they didn't quite no what to make of the trip either. However all thoughts were wiped away as they to took in their majestic surroundings. Hagrid broke the silence to greet the fourth member of their party who had just appeared as well. So after greetings were exchanged all around they made their way into the depths of the forest in the direction of the mountains ahead.  
  
"With luck and good timing we should be able to reach the base of Mount Corock by the end of the week. From there it will take us another week to get up and into the heart of the Corock mountain range. Then we can start searching for the giants encampments. I expect us to begin the search sometime in early July." Remus ran over the basic outlay of the mission at hand.  
  
"I expect em to be off ter the East this early en' da year" Hagrid had spent a good portion of the day explaining the weather patterns and how it would effect the giants camps. They had agreed that the East would hold their best bet off running into them.  
  
Due to the fact that Hagrid and Madame Maxime could not ride a broom they were forced to walk most of the way. Harry and Remus took turns checking their direction as it was easy to get off bearing in the dense forest.  
  
Harry watched as Madame Maxime and Hagrid walked well in the lead of their group. Harry smiled to himself when he thought of the pair. He knew how lonely Hagrid must feel being what he is. Harry was glad that he would have a chance at some type of happiness. Even if it was in the shadows of the dark times that now threatened them all. While he walked he looked at the man to his side. Remus had faced so much in his life, if anyone knew what loneliness was it would be him. To be a werewolf meant a life alone, but to have your true friends violently ripped away was more than anyone should bear.  
  
"Remus, what happened to you last year? What did you do after you left Hogwarts?" Harry almost regretted bringing up the memory of that night when so much changed for the both of them.  
  
"Soul searching Harry, I did a lot of soul searching. I wasn't sure what to do after everything I believed for so long changed. I needed some time to sort it all out." Remus looked like he was still trying to sort out these issues.  
  
"I know what you mean. I can identify with needing time." Harry could feel that weight on his shoulders as well.  
  
"Oh, how so?" Remus turned to his good friends son, searching his face for the boys answer.  
  
"All my life I believed I was nothing more than some freak. I certainly got told that was all I was enough. I never thought there would be a escape for me. Then I got told I was a wizard and that everything I had ever known was a lie. I needed time to think then, unfortunately I never really got it." Harry couldn't really understand why he would tell Remus this, perhaps it was because he thought he could relate. Harry wasn't a werewolf or anything, but they both probably had similar childhood's. Both always being told they were worthless.  
  
"After I found out about Sirius I had to get away, I was mad at him for switching Secret Keepers. I was angry with myself for doubting him. I hated that he didn't trust me enough to tell me about the plan, and there by forcing him to a life in Azkaban." Remus was sharing with Harry the feelings that he had bottled up for a year now.  
  
"I was mad at him to, I knew I shouldn't be but I still was. I forgave him an all, probably because I was ready to latch on to any semblance of family I could get a hold of. The more I thought about it the more I realized he was only trying to protect me and my parents. I couldn't begrudge him for that. Nor could I hold him accountable for their deaths. I have Voldemort to blame for that. In a way I need to have someone to blame, or I might end up blaming myself. I've gone down that road before and it doesn't have a happy ending." Harry turned back to the path they were walking down.  
  
"You can't blame yourself Harry, you were only a baby. It was their choice to die for you. Nothing you could have done to change that." Remus shifted the weight of his pack to make it more comfortable to carry.  
  
"I know that, but it still makes it no easier. Sirius probably feels the same way, but that doesn't make it any more his fault." Nothing broke the silence between the two until Harry spoke again.  
  
"I'm tired of not knowing who I am. I hate looking in the mirror and seeing a person who I don't even know is real. Sometimes I think that this is all just a dream and I'll wake up and find I'm not me anymore. Does that make any sense to you?" Harry didn't think he put his thoughts into words that well, but Remus seemed to understand.  
  
"I wanted to take you in after what happened. I wanted to raise you myself, but because of my damn curse I couldn't. I never wanted you to have to not know who you were. I begged Dumbledore to let me take you, but he wouldn't listen. I suppose it's for the best, I don't know what kind of parent I would have been." Remus let out a long sigh only reminding Harry of how lonely he must have been.  
  
"You would have been a great father Remus. It shows when you teach. You have more patience than anyone I have ever meet. I would have been honored to grow up with you. At least I wouldn't have lived in a cupboard for 11 years if I had lived with you." It filled Remus with happiness to know Harry thought so highly of him.  
  
"What do you mean a cupboard?" Harry debated answering this question. However Remus had opened up to him so it was only fair that he did the same.  
  
"That was the Dursley's idea of how to handle me. Lock me in the cupboard under the stairs for 11 years and hope the freak goes away. I think part of them was sad to see I didn't die some where in the night. But the past is the past, and what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Harry tried to ignore the look Remus was giving him.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry." Harry tried to interrupt to tell Remus he had nothing to be sorry about but Remus wanted to finish.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to grow up the way I did. I know what it's like to be called the freak, to be mistreated and shunned. To remain friendless while all you seek is someone to talk to. I swore to myself that I wouldn't let anyone have to go through childhood the way I did, but I couldn't even do that for my best friends son." Remus had stopped facing the stunned Harry long ago. Shame was written all over his face and Harry didn't know what to make of it.  
  
"You had no choice in the matter, it is how things were decided to play out. I'm just glad I have someone to talk to. It's embarrassing to let Ron or Mr. Weasley see the way they treat me. How they couldn't give a damn if I left or not without saying goodbye. I just don't think they can understand what it feels like. Mr. Weasley acted like it was such a big deal that they didn't care when I left for school last year. He can't understand that after so many years it's become a natural thing and it doesn't even bother me. Now I have someone who understands me and I can talk to." Harry sent a smile to Remus who was now looking back towards Harry.  
  
"You could talk to Sirius about your feelings, I'm sure he would more then be willing to listen." Harry frowned at the thought of approaching Sirius with his thoughts.  
  
"No, I don't think I could. I haven't known Sirius that long, but I do know that he is to protective of me. He'd want to do something or go flying off the handle over it. Your different than that, not that you don't care or anything. It's just I can talk to you and leave it as just that. Someone to tell what's bugging me. Everybody needs those type of people. I'm not looking for someone to pity me, only listen and tell me what they think. I can't talk to Ron or Hermione like this because they can't relate and they would just give me those damn looks." Remus smiled and picked up his pace a bit to catch up.  
  
"I can agree with that, sometimes you just need someone to talk to." That was exactly how Harry felt and Remus was honored to be chosen as that person in Harry's life.  
  
"Let's make a pact, we both will always be there to listen to the other. We can always count on the other to be honest, even if it means telling each other how stupid we are being." Harry stopped and stuck out his hand to Remus. Without a second thought Remus accepted the hand and the two formed a bond. One of true friendship and brotherhood.  
  
The next few days began to pass in a whirlwind of activity. Harry had quickly come to enjoy the demanding journey they had under taken. After two or three days the ache in his muscles no longer bothered him. He had refused Remus when he offered to place a feather light charm on his pack, as the weight would build muscle. Remus and Harry spent most of the time talking while they traveled. Both sharing stories about their lives and thoughts that they had not told any other. Remus was quickly becoming Harry's most trusted confidant.  
  
When they weren't traveling Remus began instructing Harry in the areas that Dumbledore had outlined for him to teach. Swordplay was one of Harry's favorite as he could easily find the beauty and freedom of the movements. Remus had brought a long a plain steel sword for Harry to practice with. It had no adornment or fancy inlays, just simply a steel sword, but Harry took great care in maintaining it. Remus had begun showing Harry the simple movements and thrusts which made the foundation of the art. This turned out to be the most painful portion of Harry's training. Remus insisted on Harry practicing what ever he was taught against him, meaning Harry ended up on his backside until he got it right.  
  
Remus was also teaching Harry the skill of Apparition, though this was not going as smoothly. It turned out that Apparition heavily relied on Transfiguration, which wasn't one of Harry's strongest subjects. It's not that Harry was bad, it's just that it was Post Hogwarts work so Harry had to begin with learning a lot more Transfiguration. The process wasn't very complex, just difficult. You had to use timed Transfiguration to temporarily change yourself into light molecules, while casting a charm to pull yourself to where you want to go. This also means you have to know how long it takes to get between the two points because the Transfiguration is timed. If you don't give enough time you begin to change back along the way, and to much time means you could be stuck as light molecules till someone changes you back. So a firm foundation in Transfiguration is very necessary. This would take Harry a bit to get up to the point when he could actually try the Transfiguration. The good news is that when he accomplished it Transfiguration would be quite easy for him.  
  
The other thing Dumbledore wanted was for Harry to learn more Dueling and battle magic. Harry was reading several different books teaching the two different types of magic. Wizards had very different codes for battle then Muggles. When you Duel you can use spells that complement each other, you can plan strategies fit for one on one. But in battles there was a different strategy all together, you used high impact spells that would have a higher area of effect. Of course there were still spells that you threw against a single target, but they were more designed to take them out in one shot. There was also a set of rules that are followed on the battle field. If a duel was issued and accepted you weren't to interfere with the duelists. Generally duels were only issued between high ranking members of opposite armies. Also it was general practice that surrender was to be excepted if a party wished to give up. This was accomplished by stunning ones self in the midst of the battle. It was also a common practice not to attack medics on the field unless they were reviving or counter cursing fallen men. Medics jobs usually consisted of taking Port keys to remove fallen men on the field. This rule was only observed when the opposing side was doing so as well. Most of the time medics were not needed due to the nature of the spells used during battle. Most were meant to kill due to the fact that fallen allies can be revived.  
  
Hagrid also was teaching Harry, not so much in the magical arts, more of the ways of the land. Hagrid was very adept at tracking and trailing. He taught Harry how to live off his surroundings, and how to cover ones own tracks so you weren't followed. Hagrid was a natural in the forest and he planned to pass on everything he knew to Harry. Over the years Hagrid had learned what plants could be found that had healing effects and how to use your surroundings to aid you. He knew what to listen for and how to read the animals reactions around you. So as the first week slowly passed Harry began to realize just how much his two friends had to teach.  
  
On the morning of the 22nd they reached the edge of the forest that ran to the base of Mount Corock. They had decided to make camp and rest that day so the could prepare to begin their accent into the mountain. Now that they were closer they could truly see how large the mountain was. Harry could easily see why the giants did not have good will with the wizards. Wizards had forced them from their homes and into a truly inhospitable land. He had doubts if the giant's would enter into this alliance, but he had to hope for the best.  
  
Harry sat before the fire with his book on sword play. He was trying to learn some new techniques in hopes that the next time Remus sparred with him he wouldn't end up with so many bruises. Soon Remus came and sat down next to him along with Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Harry placed his book to the side and picked up his sword to polish and sharpen it's blade once more. He took his wand and transfigured a rock into a whetstone so that he could begin the process of sharpening the long metal blade.  
  
"Remus, what are we going to do when it comes around to that time of the month?" Harry hadn't thought of the implications of his friends monthly change until now.  
  
"Dumbledore has provided me with a Wizards tent that can be sealed from the outside. I will use that as well as the Wolfsbane potion that Severus has been kind enough to send along for me." Harry offered a smile to his friend who was already beginning to show the early signs that the full moon was soon to arrive. He guessed that they still had three or four days until Remus would have to make use of that tent.  
  
Harry continued to sharpen his blade until the sound of a bird startled out of it's nest broke the silence surrounding them. Instantly aware of the noise Harry began to turn in the direction the animal was spooked from. His lessons with Hagrid told him that something must have startled the animal. However before he fully turned he remembered what he had learned from Remus. Sometimes you just have to be patient. So feigning ignorance he continued to sharpen his sword, while his other hand slowly reached for the wand that lay at his side. While he did so he noticed Remus and Madame Maxime do the same. Hagrid had begun to clean his cross bow, but Harry also noticed that he now had a arrow prepped and ready to fly. Several more arrows were placed in the holders and could be loaded and fired in seconds. A snap of a twig in the opposite direction only served to realize their fears.  
  
They were not alone, in fact they were surrounded!  
  
(A/N) Don't worry I didn't cliff hang you. ****** Severus Snape Monday June 17th ******  
  
Severus didn't leave his quarters until Monday evening, he had to prepare himself for what he was about to do. Severus Snape the dark angle of mercy, bringing a speedy death to those who only had death to look forward to. Yet even though he offered relief non would ever come for him.  
  
Snape stopped by the door to his dungeon to make sure the small black vial was still in his pocket. This wasn't the first time he had to bear this particular task, nor would it probably be the last. It was simple enough of a mission. Death Eaters where always torturing those who fell out of favor with the Dark Lord. One simply had to slip into the dungeons on pretense of having a little fun. Snape always brought three bottles with him, one white and two black. The white potion was for those who wouldn't choose death. It dulled the pain enough to make a day or two more bearable. The black potion was a deadly poison, a potion that wouldn't react for a hour or two after consumption. When it did it was fast and painless, allowing a quick and speedy escape for the drinker.  
  
The second vial Snape always kept hidden for himself. He was not naïve enough to think that he would never be caught. Yet he knew two much to allow himself to be tortured till he spilled his inner most secrets. He always prepared himself to take that potion every time he would leave for hell. Always aware that the following hour could be his last.  
  
The hour or two time in between taking the potion was very important. It made sure that you weren't the last person to see the victim alive. Each prisoners cell is checked every hour, so the guard would see the victim at least two more times. In Karkaroffs case it would mean only two more torture sessions till he was released.  
  
After deciding that everything was in place he was ready to leave. Each step provided Snape with another reason to turn back, each breath he took was like a scream of protest. This was the routine every time he would leave for the Dark Lord's castle. Even when you tried to pry yourself away from the mistakes of the past they would always pull you back.  
  
Snape pushed the door to the entrance of Hogwarts open and strode out into the fading twilight. It would not be long now until he'd have to mask his face once more.  
  
The forest loomed before him and after entering into it's hiding shadows he prepared to leave for the Castle. Snape would wait for the last shimmers of the sun to fade before he would activate his mark to draw him to Voldemort's location. Shadows began to grow as the son fell behind the horizon.  
  
This was what his life was all about, one constant dark shadow. Almost as if he feared to step into the light where people would see him. The shadows held there secrets like none other and these secrets would always protect him. Still, someday the sun would rise once more and destroy the shadows. Bringing to light all the ugly creatures the shadows once hid. That was the thing Snape feared the most.  
  
When the last light fell Snape pressed his wand to his mark and whispered the incantation that activated it's transportation power. With the pulling similar to a Port key Snape disappeared from the forest to begin his mission of mercy and death.  
  
Snape landed in the stone room where all came when they drew themselves to the Dark Lord. After raising his black hood he began his walk to where the prisoners were kept. Every so often he would pass another cloaked figure, neither would acknowledge each others presence. Things like that weren't done, so you just passed in the halls.  
  
Soon he arrived at large metal doors that barred entrance to where the prisoners were held. He pushed one open and his senses were immediately overwhelmed by the reek of the dead and decaying. Human filth and blood mixed in the air only making him cringe even more. Cries of pain from those suffering fates that he was non to envious of meet his ears. This was not a place where one left alive. Those who were brought here came to die.  
  
After moving through the rows of cells he came to a door that was barred shut. He could hear the nonsensical ramblings of a man who was slowly being driven insane coming from behind the door. Obviously the Dementors had feed upon him. Though the Dementors had not left Azkaban he was sure some now dwelled in this place.  
  
A unlocking charm opened the door and Snape stepped into the darkened room.  
  
"Hello Karkaroff, pleased to see you again. Not doing to well are you?" Listening charms recorded the speech in the room, so Snape had to continue his charade. However while he continued to belittle him he began to draw golden lines on the floor.  
  
He now had Karkaroffs attention. Though the man was almost insane, a spark of hope flooded into his eyes. Not the hope that came with escape, but the one that tells you that your journey is soon over. Snape scrawled the question that would determine Karkaroff's fate on the floor and Karkaroff nodded his head in approval. So Snape drew the vial from the depths of his robe and gave it to Karkaroff who eagerly gulped it's contents down. Snape stood and prepared to leave when Karkaroff spoke to him.  
  
"Wait." His voice was cracked and raspy, yet he still struggled on. Snape moved to the mans side and knelt beside him.  
  
"Beware.the.shadow..man.." With that said Karkaroff fell asleep to await his death. With those words in mind Snape left to return to Dumbledore.  
  
****** Dumbledore Monday June 17th ******  
  
It had been a busy weekend for Albus Dumbledore, and the week was shaping up to be just the same. Tonight he had several things that had to be accomplished, for leading a war was not a easy thing at all. Luckily he had less worries than he did a few days ago. He had sent Harry to were no one knew where he would be. This was one of his ulterior motives in sending Harry. No one could contact Harry but him and it would also give Harry a chance to get out with people who cared about him.  
  
Tonight he was to meet with Arthur Weasley and discuss how the Ministry would be handled. It panned Albus greatly to have to work behind the Ministers back, he had so much hoped they could face this together. Perhaps with one united front they would be strong enough to meet Voldemort's challenge. Alas this was not to be. Albus didn't want to do what he knew he must, but he was given no other choice.  
  
Albus planned to gather all his forces in meeting prior to the school year. It would take time to mobilize into groups, but until then he had to see who he could still count on. That was were Sirius would come into play. He had placed a lot of faith in Sirius, but he was still the best man for the job. This gave every one a opportunity to know what really happened that Halloween night. Now when they came together again there would be no need to reacquaint everyone with his innocence. It would do him some good to know others believed in him as well.  
  
A knock on the door announced Arthur's presence. Now would begin the subtle game of control. The slow moving of pieces that would restructure the Ministry would now begin.  
  
"Come in Arthur." The door opened to allow the Weasley patriarch into the room.  
  
"Hello Albus, how might I be able to help you this evening. I was surprised you wanted to see me." Arthur took the seat nearest the desk that Dumbledore sat in.  
  
"Yes I was wondering how things were at work? I've been hearing rumors that the Minister isn't in as much favor as he used to be." Now Albus would see Arthurs' stand point without betraying his own. Albus didn't want people to just agree with whatever he said. He wanted them to follow what they believed to be right.  
  
"I won't beat around the bush with you Albus. The Minister is a complete fool, your word that You know who has returned carries much weight. The fact that Fudge refuses to hear it has hurt him greatly." Albus knew that this would come as a two edged sword. While he would gain some support, it would also make him the center of the Minister's attempt to discredit the movement.  
  
"What does he make of the end of the tournament?" This would be the center of most of the dispute and it would be important to keep the points on the situation clear.  
  
"It's not good Albus, not good at all. He's going to try and pin it on Harry. Would have drawn him in for questioning already if he hadn't been unable to find him. Word went out to some of his loyal Aurors yesterday. However Harry left Privet drive. The Muggles don't know where he went. Do you have any idea?" Arthur was clearly worried for the boy. However Albus smiled to himself for having the foresight to alter the Dursley's memories in context to Harry's location and who he left with.  
  
"I believe that Harry is quite safe. I do have a favor to ask of you Arthur. I need you to feel the waters at the Ministry, find out who has the most control. Also I want you to decide who can be trusted. Dark times are coming and we must pull together those who we can count upon." Though Arthur didn't know it, he would be key to the fall of the Minister.  
  
"I will do my best sir, you can count on me." With that Arthur stood and left the office allowing Dumbledore more time to think.  
  
He had already realized that Harry would be endanger from the Ministry. Now was the time to act to protect the boy. Albus turned to the glass jar that sat on the shelf. He muttered some words and it glowed a pale shade of blue. Carefully Albus opened the lid and let the small insect out of it's prison.  
  
"Come now and meet me as a human Rita. I may be a doddering old fool as you so kindly put, but I do know it's you." He smirked as the bug changed back into a human once more.  
  
"This is wrongful imprisonment and you know it. I demand you let me leave right now, or I'll have your head." Rita had turned a beet red color in fury.  
  
"I don't believe a bug has that power, NOW SIT DOWN!" Dumbledore raised his voice louder than most would ever here him. As if a hand grabbed her Rita fell into a seat.  
  
"I have a offer to make you. I have use of someone with your particular skills. A war is coming and the Minister is dirty as well as many of his top officials. Alliances are forming and change is coming. If you accept my offer you will be the one to bring the latest news to the people. Slander our enemies all you want, but it will be expected that you will not hurt our side with your rubbish. I swear to you, if you do anything that could remotely hinder those who stand against Voldemort I will make you sorry." Dumbledore's voice held non of the kindness it usually showed. In war there was no room for kindness.  
  
"What if I don't agree to your terms?" Rita was interested, and she would agree. Now she was just testing how far she could push and Dumbledore called her on it.  
  
"I'm sorry if you were under the impression you had a choice in the matter. I believe you are mistaken." The air seemed to freeze around them and you could here a pin drop in the room.  
  
"Now, I believe you heard what Arthur said. As you know we can't have him trashing young Mr. Potters name. Why don't you go tell what really happened. I'd hate for anyone to get the wrong impression. Your quite dismissed. Come back in a week to discuss what is new in the Wizarding world." Dumbledore returned to his papers and a visibly shaken Rita left his office. It had definitely been a long day.  
  
However it was not to be over yet. Soon Severus walked through the door to report on his night as well. Albus was hoping to get a bit of extra sleep, but apparently that is not what fate had in store for him.  
  
"Good evening Severus, I trust everything went well?" Albus had decided to get this over with as quickly as possible.  
  
"Yes, Karkaroff should be taking his last breath any minute now." Dumbledore nodded and waited to see if there was anything else upon his potion masters mind.  
  
"He was quite broken when I got there. A pity there wasn't anything more I could do for him. However his last words stuck with me. I'm not sure if they were the ramblings of the insane or not. He told me to beware the shadow man. I believe he meant Voldemort, yet he struggled to deliver the message like his life depended on it. Do you have anything more for me to do, I doubt we will be summoned tomorrow with Karkaroff dead." Severus's words played in Albus's mind. He would have to give thought to the matter, however only time would tell.  
  
"No, I believe you have earned a rest. Take some time off my friend, I'm sure you have other things to do. I will summon you if there develops a need." Albus could tell that the past few days had weighed heavily on Severus and that he would need time before he was useful again.  
  
"Thank you headmaster, I think I will do just that. I plan to get together with Lucius this weekend. Perhaps find out what is going on in Voldemort's inner circle. I haven't seen many of them at the Dark Castle. Not that you can really tell whose there and who isn't." With that said Snape rose and left the office for a much needed night sleep.  
  
Albus was left with many questions that evening. He had to find out who could be trusted at the Ministry, he still wasn't sure how many Sirius would be able to bring, and now he had this new riddle to solve. Who is this shadow man, and what is he doing now.  
  
****** Peter Pettigrew Tuesday June 18th ******  
  
Peter felt his masters summons and rushed to answer it. He was used to being called at his masters whim so this was nothing new. Peter moved through the dark hallways towards the throne room to see what he had been summoned for this time.  
  
This was what he had wanted, the life he had missed for so long. In the day's before his masters service he had no purpose. Now, Peter was powerful he had a purpose and most of all he was needed. He was his masters trusted servant. He was the one who brought his master back from exile, and he had been rewarded for it.  
  
No longer would he have to live in hiding as a pet, now he would stand in glory. No longer would he stand in someone's shadow, or be the second best. He wasn't the weak one anymore.  
  
Peter stopped in the middle of the hall way. What was he thinking about, it had been so long since the thoughts of second best had entered into his mind. He had almost allowed himself to believe that he wouldn't be haunted by his past. That was another life that he had long since given up for what he had now.  
  
Yet still he found himself clinging to old jealousy. He had showed them all who he was. Peter Pettigrew the weak one had become the strongest of them all. Sure he had never been weak, but when surrounded with James, Sirius, and Lupin how could he compete. Now he had more power than they could ever dream of. What was a soul worth anyway?  
  
Peter felt no different since he had traded his friends that Halloween night. If anything he was glad he did it, the ends had justified the means. So what was so bad about not having any friends or family, the death eaters where his friends and brothers. Peter long ago realized that he could live without friends. They were unnecessary, and whenever he felt the guilt he reminded himself of this.  
  
One could live with guilt, Peter had proven this to himself. Eventually the feeling deadened away and you were left empty inside. Perhaps that's when you were truly lost. When you no longer care for the crimes you committed.  
  
But Peter did care, not for James of Sirius but for Harry. He cursed the boy everyday. Why didn't he just die with his parents and they could have been together. He cared that Harry had to live without anyone. So when the boy spared his life it only made him feel even more guilty. Who was that boy to make him feel this way. He was strong and powerful, nothing should be able to bother him. Yet this did, as it would until the day he died.  
  
His musings were cut short when he arrived before his master and fell on his knees.  
  
"You summoned me master, how may I serve you?" He had come to expect pain in the service of his master. One was punished for his mistakes, as they should be, so Peter tried to give him no reason to do so.  
  
"Yes, Karkaroff has died in his cell before we could use him for the ceremony. We will soon require another sacrifice. Leave now and capture those Dumbledore sent to the giants. Bring them back to me and they will make adequate sacrifices. You may take some of my new recruits as well as a division of 15. I want them alive Wormtail. Now leave my sight, I grow weary of your presence." Voldemort turned back to a parchment he had been examining when Peter had walked in.  
  
Peter backed out of his masters throne room. He had learned that you never turned your back on his master, when you did you felt pain.  
  
After making his way to the new recruit wing he selected five and gave them there orders on where to meet him in a hour. Then he was off to the foul pit once more. The beasts were more vile each time he saw them. Why his master would take such despicable fiends into his army was beyond him. He called for the division and before he had time to blink fifteen stood before him. They had some type of leather armor and each carried a sword and claw blade. Peter smiled to himself, at least they were obedient.  
  
An hour later they had Port keyed into a forest in the shadow of a great mountain. Peter was unsure how best to begin the search but the beast warriors seemed to already be on it.  
  
"There." The beast pointed in a direction towards the mountain. Apparently they had more uses the mindless killing machines.  
  
"Fine, this is how we will proceed." Peter selected five beast warriors.  
  
"You will travel ahead of us and leave a trail in the appropriate direction. Once you locate them you are to keep with them, however remain unseen until we catch up. Travel as quickly as possible." After distributing the final orders the selected best warriors took off into the forest. Peter and the remaining warriors set off at a slower pass.  
  
****** Sirius and Brin Saturday June 22nd ******  
  
"OK Sirius let's go over the plan one more time, if that's not to hard for you." Brin and Sirius had spent the last week going through every old address book they could get their hands on.  
  
"All right, just once more though. You really are starting to give me a head ache you know. This is how it's going to go down. We'll wait until the guard changes and then I'll go in my dog form. Then I'll move to the side door and disable the alarm charms and let you in. Then we'll make our way to the census archive room." Sirius continued to relate the plan that they had worked tirelessly to prepare. They had soon come to the conclusion that Hogwart's graduates simply fell into a black hole after so many years. The only way they were going to be able to find all those they sought would be to break into a small Ministry archive building and remove some of the files they were searching for.  
  
"Good, I'm glad you paid attention to me for once. Honestly sometimes I can't possibly understand what goes through that head of yours. Sometimes I wonder about you." Brin wanted this to go off with out a hitch, and it wouldn't due for them to get caught. No one must know that they were gathering those who would stand against Voldemort once more. They'd form a defense once more, and pray it would be strong enough.  
  
"All right, so when should we pull this off. There still is the matter of how we get into the census room. You still haven't told me what this little diversion you cooked up would be." Brin had flat out refused to tell him what she had in mind.  
  
"I put in a call to a good friend of mine. He's planning to come and do a spot inspection of their defense personnel on Thursday." Sirius still wasn't sure how this would help.  
  
"Who could cause that big of a ruckus that all guards would be occupied." She was just teasing him and Sirius knew it.  
  
"Let's just say he's going to check their CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"  
  
****** Skirmish in the Woods Saturday June 22nd ******  
  
Harry kept his eyes on the fire, while he let his other sense take over and scan the environment. He took the hilt of his blade and gripped it tightly. He wasn't ready for battle, but he would do his best if the situation arose. He let the tip of the blade rest in the dirt and traced a silent question to the group.  
  
How Many. Was all he etched into the soil, yet all knew his meaning. Hagrid took a stick and made four marks in the dirt. Remus shock his head and made a fifth line. Whatever was out there didn't seem to want to attack, but they were watching them.  
  
Harry was nervous, they could be attacked at any moment. However he would wait till they were ready for the situation. Hagrid had told him of all the possible creatures they could encounter and none seemed to friendly. For the first time Harry became aware of how loudly he was breathing, it almost hurt to take in air into his lungs. Remus gave Harry a nod to both reassure him and warn him that they would be making the first move.  
  
Quickly he looked for defensible positions were he could have the advantage. A set of boulders close by would allow him to be able to put his back to something without having to hem him in to much. His heart was racing and everything seemed to slow down. This was not what he had expected, yet the situation now stared him straight in the eye.  
  
Fine, if this was what life was going to throw at him then he'd meet it head on, with honor. Harry took one last deep breath before steadying his breathing and calming his pulse. A steely mask fell over his face and he gave Remus a nod to signify he was ready.  
  
Remus and Madame Maxime were astounded at the change that Harry underwent in only a second. He went from looking like he wouldn't be able to handle the situation to someone who had faced death a thousand times before. Hagrid was not surprised at all. He had told Harry once before just what he thought of him, and he knew the boy would willing stand alone in the face of a army.  
  
With speed Harry had never seen him use Remus made the first move. He drew his wand and banished the burning fire logs towards the woods. Within a instant a horrible creature sprang from where the fire now lit the bushes. It's body a mix of beast and man. Out of nowhere four more sprang fourth. One jumped forward only to be meet by a steel tipped arrow that whistled through the air. The metal ripping into it's flesh, yet it showed no sign of feeling pain. Harry dove for the rocks sending a stunning spell at one of the beasts as he rose to his feet once more. The spell slammed into the chest of the beast that was closest to Harry only to be shrugged off just as Hagrid's arrow had been. Madame Maxime was having similar problems with the beast that was now stalking towards her.  
  
Realizing that simple spells would have no effect Harry moved on to stronger more dangerous magic. He shouted the incantation to a small fire spell that sent a ball of fire jetting towards the creature that now had its blade unsheathed and a claw like steel talon clutched in it's other hand. The spell hit the beasts shoulder and burned it till the skin was raw and blistered. Still the best made no reaction. The smell of burnt flesh meet Harry's nose as he leveled his own blade with the creature and prepared to fight.  
  
Hagrid continued his barrage of arrows into the creature that was now charging him. The arrows making a sickening sound as they slammed into the still charging beast. Throwing the crossbow to the ground Hagrid lifted a small tree trunk with a stump still attached and wielded it like a club. The creature tried to match the makeshift club with his sword but the force of the blow was to great and the creature was knocked to the side. Seeing that Madame Maxime was having trouble he rushed to help her.  
  
The beast had just backed Madame Maxime into a tree when Hagrid slammed full force into it's side. It went careening onto a pile of jagged rubble crippling it's left arm. Hagrid turned to face the one he had knocked away before and began to advance on it with his trunk once more.  
  
Remus Lupin had thrown his wand to the side in favor of his sword and began to face off with the beast that was now attacking him furiously. Remus' improved werewolf strength allowed him to keep himself in control of the situation. All the while he kept his eye on the fifteen year old boy who was fighting for his life as well.  
  
Harry's blade whistled through the air as he attempted to lay a clumsy blow to the warriors side. Harry knew he was loosing ground, he was being pushed into a corner. He would die if he didn't due something fast. The creature's overwhelming strength was taking it's toll on Harry. Harry looked to where the other's were fighting and saw that they were not doing as poorly as he was. However he was in a position to see something Remus didn't. The creature was pushing him towards a fifth who was lying in wait. He had to do something to warn Remus, but he first had to deal with this beast that seemed to be as tough as a dragon. Then it hit him, if they could resist spells like a dragon perhaps they shared the dragons weakness as well. Harry jumped back against the rocks and shouted the spell Krum had used to blind the dragon he had fought in the tournament. Harry shouted "Conjunctiva" and pointed his wand towards the creatures eyes. The beast let out a cry of rage and dropped it's claw so it could rip at it's face. Harry took his opportunity and did a diving roll. He turned back towards the beast and cut through it's left leg, severing the tendons and causing the beast to fall to the ground. Black blood splashed free from where he had cut the beast and where ever it landed it burned the ground. It continued to thrash about and pull itself in the his direction, all the while waving it's sword about trying to get a piece of anyone it could. A moment of indecision crossed Harry's face before he hardened himself and brought his blade down behind the creatures head. Harry didn't stop to see the head flop off, he dashed over to help Remus.  
  
Madame Maxime began firing large balls of fire towards the beats injured arm, burning away it's skin. It initially took no notice of her attack, but as the fire burned through it's flesh the pain caught up with the best. Seeing no other option Madame Maxime sent a severing charm toward the creature removing it's limb. Picking up Hagrids' Fallen crossbow she leveled it at the beasts head and let off a shot that struck true to it's mark. The arrow pierced it's skull and it fell over dead on the ground.  
  
Hagrid continued to swing the massive tree stump in the direction of his attacker. The beast had resorted to keeping a distance and letting Hagrid tire himself out. However Hagrid was not to be defeated, he had forced the creature into a trap. It took one more step back and found itself pressed against a large boulder. No sooner did it recognize it's doomed position than Hagrid brought the tree stump down on it's head, crushing it's skull.  
  
Remus had the beast well under control, it was tiring and soon he would strike. The beast, though skilled, attacked without thinking. Remus planned to take advantage of that. However something interrupted him. He saw Harry running towards him and as he drew closer he shouted to watch out behind him. Remus trusted Harry, so he swung his blade behind him in a circle. It meet the flesh of the fifth beast and served it's head. The beast turned in the direction of the approaching voice only to be meet with Harry's blade slamming into it's heart. It to fell to the ground lifeless.  
  
A silence fell over the battlefield as everyone took stock to make sure hey were uninjured. The black blood that had been spilled ate away at the ground around them. It was a unanimous silent decision amongst them that it was time to start their ascent into the mountains.  
  
******  
  
A/N Another chapter done. A good length one to. Boy there is a lot going on right now. I was really happy with the way certain parts of this chapter shaped up. I've decided that Remus is going to be one of Harry's most trusted confidants. So look for them to become closer. I hope Dumbledore came across OK, I don't want him to be a real manipulative person. But I do think he's the kinda guy who has a plan for everything. Peter was difficult to right. I had a hard time really getting into his head. I hope I did that OK. I hope you all liked it bunches. I really appreciated all those who reviewed. I read them all and take everyone's thoughts into consideration. I appreciate each positive comment I get. Next chapter should have Harry's first week in the mountains as well as Snape and Lucius and Sirius and Brin breaking in to get the Census files and finally Voldemort will begin to close in on something that you won't know about till closer to the end of summer. That didn't make much sense did it? you'll get it sooner or later. Also I'll probably continue some of the subplots that have events coming up as well.  
  
Once again I'd like to thank all of you who took the time to read my story, and a special thanks to those who reviewed. The next Chapter should be out sometime around Friday evening or Saturday morning. Probably Friday.  
  
R/R Thanks, I love you, buh-bye! : ) 


	5. Chapter 4: Through the Mountain

Disclaimer: all characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers. Not me. Sucks don't it!  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 4: Through the Mountains  
  
  
  
(A/N I decided to put just Harry in this chapter! The next chapter will be out quickly and will hopefully begin to wrap up a few things. I have a lot planned to happen soon and I want everyone in the correct position for it. So in the next chapter we'll have Snape and Lucius meeting and then headed to Voldemort. We'll temporarily wrap up Sirius and Brin, they will take a break until the big battle coming up. Dumbledore still has a bit more to do. But I will begin to focus on Harry so I can move to time along a little faster. So look for a shorter update sometime next week. Then a much longer one a week after that.)  
  
****** Harry, Thursday June 27th and Friday June 28th ******  
  
Harry sat upon a stone outcropping that jutted out from the mountain face. The cool mountain air bite at his cheeks and caused him to shudder in the predawn light. During these hours Harry enjoyed writing his thoughts and experiences down into a leather bound book he had brought with him. He crudely sketched the view that lay before him onto the pages of his book. It was definitely one of the most breath taking sights he had ever seen. Hogwarts always had it's grandeur, but there is just something about being so close to the heavens and staring down on the world around you that puts perspective into your life. The great forest lay far below them and if he squinted he could see the hills they arrived at many days ago.  
  
After turning a page he began to scribe the first few days of their ascent into the higher elevations of the mountain. Tensions had grown thick since their encounter at the base of the mountain. They had decided that the creatures that had attacked them were under someone else's control, and most likely they were being followed so they had increased their pace. Everyone was constantly on the lookout when they traveled and they had begun to post a guard at night. Harry enjoyed taking the early morning watches because it gave him a chance to write and study more of the books Remus had given to him.  
  
All of them were growing tired from their grueling pace and soon they would need to take a day to rest. The previous day they had spotted smoke rising from a spot a days journey away. They had decided to take a chance that this was one of the half-breed camps that scattered around the mountainside and make for the camp.  
  
Harry had learned much about the giant community structure from the books they had picked up before starting their journey. It turns out that the giants were structured in a ladder system of governing. The full blooded giants sat at the top of the system and they stayed to some of the highest elevations in the mountain range. The giants had no major ruling body, but the prominent members of the giant community would usually get together to make decisions affected the entire giant community. Beneath the full blooded giants where those like Hagrid. These giants ranged in many different sizes. They are somewhat friendlier to strangers and humans because many humans live with them. They govern themselves more independently, but still answer to the full blooded giants. Then come the savages, they are the lowest form of giant's. They to range in size, but from in breeding or simply genetic defects they have no real intelligent thought. Though they are not intelligent they still tend to work together in a tribal system of life. The savages and the mixed blood giants have constant skirmishes for control over territory on the mountain.  
  
They could only hope that they would arrive at a mixed blood camp. If it would turn out to be a savage encampment then they would be lucky to escape with their lives, not to mention they would have to return in the direction of their pursuers.  
  
The first lights of dawn began to rise on the horizon and Harry arose from the ledge to draw his sword from it's sheath. He had begun to focus upon his skill with the blade after finding how ineffective magic was against the warriors that had ambushed them. He wouldn't allow himself to be so outmatched the next time he faced a opponent. He knew just how lucky he was to escape with his life from the last beast that attacked him. There would be no way he could be as lucky again and he intended to be able to hold his own in the next fight. While he wasn't training with Remus he had begun to study many other forms and styles of blade work to improve.  
  
The climb had gotten tougher the last few days. They used magical ropes that would secure them to the cliff faces while they moved through tougher portions of the climb. Harry's arms and legs ached from the abnormal amount of hard labor they were being put under. He was extremely grateful that he had gotten a book on healing potions, because now he could brew potions to ease his muscles and remove blisters during his morning watches. Harry was beginning to show the signs of the rugged journey they were under. He had bruises and cuts all over his body, not to mention a nasty cut on his check from where a large grouping of rocks broke loose and he had slid twenty feet down the mountain. All in all the trip was transforming him, both mentally and physically.  
  
As the sun had almost fully begun to crest the horizon, Harry used magic to rekindle the fire and then prepared breakfast for his comrades. After he had finished his morning meal he walked over to one of the two tents and peeked his head in to rouse Hagrid and Remus. After he did the same with Madame Maxime he returned to his tent to get a hour of rest before they would have to once more set off.  
  
The brief rest flew by and soon it was time to set forth. Remus flicked his wand and the two tents returned to their folded state. Harry placed one into his pack and Remus took the other. The full moon would rise the next night and Remus would have a tent all to himself, but with the night watches there would be no need for someone to go without a bed.  
  
Harry was glad that they treated him as a adult, and gave him equal responsibility to the group. He actually strive to do more then asked of him, especially when it came time to make camp. He had become quite good at setting up traps to catch wild game, as well as spells that would disable intruders and alert them to the presence of unwelcome guests. Harry had actually learned to place some rather deadly spells in hidden places, he wouldn't take the risk of allowing someone to actually make it through to them during the night.  
  
Soon they began to climb once more, it would take them till noon to reach the encampment they had spotted. It was Hagrid's turn to take the lead and Harry and Remus chose to take up the rear.  
  
"Hey Remus, could I ask you a question?" Harry kept his eyes focused on the narrow rock ledge which they were using to cross a particularly difficult path.  
  
"You just did, but you can ask me another one." Remus chuckled to himself.  
  
"Ha Ha, but seriously. What was my mother like? I don't have a whole lot of memories of her." Harry had been thinking about the past a lot recently. Questions like this roamed his mind in the early morning hours.  
  
"There is no real simple answer to that question Harry. Your mom was one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. People may tell you that you are just like your father, but that isn't entirely true. Your have more of your mother in you than you could possibly imagine. She would never put herself before others, and she was always standing up for what she thought was right. Heaven help you if you told her she couldn't do something, because nine times out of ten she'd do it just to prove you wrong. I've never meet a more self sacrificing individual." Remus gave Harry a sad smile before returning his attention to the dangerous ascent.  
  
"I sometimes try to imagine what it would be like if she was still around sometimes. I wonder what she would say to me, or what it would be like just to be able to spend a day with her." Harry tried to mask the sorrow in his voice, but some things cannot be truly hidden.  
  
"She'd have been proud of you Harry, her and James. You've turned into the fine young man they hoped you would. Lily's greatest wish was that no matter what you always stayed true to yourself. Because no one else really matters in the end. She would of been proud of whatever you do Harry, as long as you remain true to yourself." Remus jumped a small crevice in the rock and then continued walking.  
  
Harry remained silent for a hour, he weighed Remus' words and went back over his life to determine if he had always remained true to himself. He was left to define what he valued and what held priority in his life. Things like Quidditch, though fun, were not really important in the long run. Though he could easily get a job on a team after school he knew that he wouldn't. It began to make sense as to why Dumbledore had chosen to teach at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had the chance to influence people before they could ever make the mistakes that would lead them down a life of darkness. He had the opportunity to let all of his students know that they always had choices. Dumbledore's lectures over what is right and what is easy never made more sense. He showed all those who came to him that there were always choices to be mad, just sometimes the right choice was not a easy path.  
  
Had he always made the right choice, or did he at one point taken a easier path. Harry was left to his introspection's till Remus finally called his name.  
  
"Harry, we've arrived. We'll head over to that rock encroachment and try to get a view into the camp. We are looking for the signs of whether this could be a savage camp."  
  
Harry nodded and then drew the hood up on his forest green cloak. After making sure that his sword and wand were attached to his belt he began to move carefully through the forest. Remus was about thirty yards away and Hagrid and Madame Maxime had taken up defensive positions higher up. They would be able to cover Harry and Remus in case there was trouble.  
  
Harry crouched low behind a tree, letting his other senses take over for the moment. He listened to the brush around him. The snap of a twig caught his attention. Someone was attempting to sneak up behind him. Harry took another three steps forwards and let his hand drift to the hilt of his blade. He waited for his watcher to close the distant. He let his instincts tell him when the attack would come. He and Remus had been practicing on how to anticipate a attack so that you could strike quicker and defend better. Harry waited just for the right moment and then drew his sword from it's sheath. He turned just in time to position his blade in a way to deflect the heavy club that had been aimed at his head. The club struck the blade and glanced off to the left. As soon as the club made contact Harry spun to the right, letting his cloak swirl around him. While he spun behind his enemy he drew his wand and shouted the stunning charm. The red spell struck it's target and the figure slumped to the ground before it got a chance to utter a single word.  
  
Harry crouched by the body and used the Lumos spell to alert Remus to the danger present. The dimly lit wand attracted Remus' attention and soon he had backed up to where Harry still stood with his sword pointed to the chest of his attacker and his wand ready to take on additional foes.  
  
"He tried to get the jump on me, but his attack didn't go according to plan." Harry spoke to Remus, but his attention never wavered from searching for more dangers around them. Remus just nodded at Harry to show his approval.  
  
"Watch my back, and I'll take care of this one." Harry returned his sword to it's sheath and moved forward a additional ten feet to make sure no one else could get to Remus while he interrogate the giant he had captured.  
  
The giant was a bit taller than Remus, but still no where near as big as Hagrid. Remus pulled him over and leaned him up against a tree. Then he cast the binding charm to cause chains to wrap around the giant and attach him to the tree. After casting a additional silencing charm over the giant he cast enervate on him to wake him from the magically induced state of unconsciousness.  
  
Immediately the large man tried to break free of the bind and scream in protest to his confinement. Remus quickly got his attention and tried to calm him down.  
  
"Listen, we mean you and your tribe no harm. We will release you in just a few moments." The giant stiffened and then ceased his struggle.  
  
"We just have to be sure before we approach your camp. Are you Savage?" The giant looked at Remus for a second and then shook his head in indignation at the thought of being considered a savage.  
  
"Then your a mixed blood?" Remus wanted to be absolutely sure of the giants origin. The giant shook his head in the affirmative.  
  
"If I release you do you promise not to scream or try to bash my young friends brains in again?" The giant nodded in response to the question posed. Remus drew his wand and muttered the Finite Incantenum charm to remove the spells on the giant.  
  
The Giant carefully rose to it's feet and examined Remus and Harry with a look of awe on his face. Before speaking to them.  
  
"You are magic users, we haven't seen those with magic around here for many years. I'm sorry that I attempted to attack you, but these are extremely dangerous times. We can not be to careful, and it is now common place to attack before asking questions." The giants words troubled Harry and Remus and they attempted to gather more information before stepping into the giants camp.  
  
"My name is Remus Lupin, and this young man's name is Harry. We are on a quest to the encampment of the full blooded giants. We were hoping to find rest in your village, and possibly find where we might find their camp this time of year. We didn't realize that we had come at a bad time or we wouldn't have wanted to trouble your people. Tell me, if you can, what is troubling your people?" The young giant gave them a apprising look before answering the question.  
  
"They call me Ranor and I don't think it is my place to discuss matters concerning our clan. However we are always willing to welcome those who come in peace. You are more then welcome to come with me back to our camp. We will give you food and then our leaders will determine if we can point you in the direction you seek." Harry turned and sent green sparks from his wand in the direction of Hagrid to inform them that they were welcome to come down.  
  
Ranor lead the four to the village that they had spied from so far away. They had indeed run into several more giants scattered through the forest before they made it to the camp. Harry thought of how lucky they were to have run into just one giant on his own. It could have been much worse. Harry, Remus, and Madame Maxime received strange looks for the robes they were wearing, but Harry hardly noticed. He was to bust taking in the sites that surrounded every turn in the path. Houses of every imaginable size ran along the paths, and they all looked like they could be packed up and moved in only a hours notice. Most of them were of a crude wooden design, but some seemed more established. Occasionally you would find a house with a stone fence surrounding it, or one with animals in a pen on the outside. Giant's of every imaginable size roamed all through the streets. Some looked like they could pass as humans, and others looked just to absurdly large to be allowed to enter into human populated areas. If humans did live in this area they would have to be well aware of the giant's by now. That's probably why the ministry resurrected wards so far away from the mountain. Sometimes they would pass a larger structure, or a strangely designed one. Ranor would explain it's purpose, this would range from food storage to general meeting places and pubs. Ranor explained that the giants had no use for money and each member of the clan worked to take care of everyone else.  
  
Soon they came to a building much larger than all the rest of them. Ranor explained that this was were the wise members of the clan meet to discuss matters that pertained to the tribe. It was customary to enter the hall and wait till you are recognized. This was done to measure just how important you needed to state your grievance. If it was of importance you would be more willing to wait till you could be dealt with. Sometimes people stood for hours in silence before they were recognized to state their grievance. However silence was not what they were meet with when they entered the room. In fact they walked into a rather spirited debate, which would answer many of their questions.  
  
"I tell you we should leave this moment, the savage are moving in mass and they will be here by tommorrow." A younger looking giant wearing many animal skins sewn together shouted at a older looking giant who was around Hagrid's size.  
  
"The savage have never outright attacked us before, and they will not strike now. We will ride out and meet them as we always do." The older giant responded, his temper clearly flaring. Another older giant, slightly smaller then the last, with a long white beard spoke up.  
  
"However, it is true that the savage have been acting oddly recently. We have reports of two attacks on other clans this week. They are far more aggressive then they usually are. Perhaps we should wait and see." This giant spoke softer then the others, and he seemed to be a lot older then the other four sitting at a crescent shaped table.  
  
"There is no time to simply wait and see what happens, the savage are moving in numbers greater than they have moved in before. They sit at our doorstep and all we do is discuss this in meeting. We should be moving towards one of the other clans so that we can find safety." The younger giant spoke once more.  
  
"I say we fight, we have never backed down from the savage before. If they want this land then they will have to take it from us." A giantess slammed her fist into the sturdy table causing ale to splatter out of her great mug. The fifth giant who had been keeping quite the entire time spoke up. He appeared to be middle aged, yet when he spoke he drew the attention of all those around. Harry recognized him as the leader of this council.  
  
"We will send a message to the Full blood council and let them deal with the change in the savage. As for the savage who a reportedly on their way here." The giant was about a half foot taller than Hagrid, and he began to run his fingers through his beard before making his final decision. He looked over the court room before his eyes fell on Harry and Remus.  
  
"Perhaps the answer to our problem has just presented it self. You two there, what is your business in this chamber today. It has been many years since we've had direct contact with wizards." Remus stepped forward to speak, but the giant quickly silenced him.  
  
"No, let the younger human speak. I want to here the words from a mouth that is young and less likely spout lies and deceit like his ancestors." Harry stepped forward and chose his words carefully, there was obviously still some bad blood between humans and giants.  
  
"We come seeking council from the Full blooded giants court. Times have become dangerous in the human world as well. We saw your camp from afar and we hoped that you could possibly provide us with a direction that we might seek the Full blooded encampment. We meet Ranor in the forest when we were checking to make sure that we weren't walking into a savage encampment. He informed us of your clans hospitality and then brought us to you." Harry looked the giant straight in the eye, he had already read that giants determine your worth by your first meeting. He wanted to stand strong and show that he spoke with honesty and courage. The giant stared right into Harry's emerald eyes and Harry stared right back into his large brown ones. Neither taking their gaze off each other despite the silence that had fallen between them. Soon the giant let out a laugh and leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Perhaps there is hope for the next generations of humans after all. Very well, you may stay with us for the night and we will feed you. However the matter of directing to the Full blooded encampment is a completely different matter. Perhaps if you were to be able to offer us something in return we could strike up a agreement." Harry wasn't sure what the giant was driving at, but they did know where the Full blooded giants are. As long as he didn't commit to anything it wouldn't hurt to keep talking.  
  
"What type of service could we offer you? As I told you before, we are on a journey and did not bring anything of value." The giant waited a moment, he was judging how best to approach the issue of what he wanted.  
  
"We have been having problems with the savage lately. Normally we would handle this ourselves, but times have changed. Something seems to have united the savages and in the last two weeks they have been actively attacking our tribes. We are planning to send word to the Full blooded council to look into the matter. I would not ask you to actively fight for us, but if you and your companions agreed to use enough magic to drive them off we would be quite grateful." Harry knew exactly what the giant wanted. He wanted them to use magic against those who couldn't defend from it. Giants had a natural resistance to some magic, but mixed bloods were more susceptible to it.  
  
"I can not condone attacking those who can not defend themselves. Besides if there are to many then there is little two wizards and a witch will be able to do." The giant smiled at Harry and then spoke once more.  
  
"The savage have never before attacked in numbers greater than ten, and I don't expect you to actually attack them. Only use magic to drive them away, I'm sure you have spells that can make them think twice before charging into battle." Harry pondered this, it wouldn't hurt to simply cast a few illusions and make a little light show.  
  
"If we agreed what would your gratefulness entail?" The giant smiled once more and then made his offer.  
  
"I would send a escort to take you directly to the Full blood camp. From there you would be on your own." This was better then Harry had hoped for, it could shave a month off there journey. They could arrive sometime in July if they were lucky.  
  
"Fine, but we will not directly attack the savage unless it is necessary, and in exchange you will arrange escort to the Full blood encampment. Do we have a agreement." Harry steeped forward and stuck out his hand to shake on it and seal a oath. A handshake was something that couldn't be gone back on in giant costume. Harry decided he would have to think about how humans could do this so freely. If anything, he had found a new respect for a simple handshake.  
  
"I Agree young human. Now rest, for tonight you sit at Torags' table as his honored guest. Ranor will show you to some lodging you may use in my house and will bring you to the festival hall tonight for the feast. You have come at a most grand time, for we always feast before battle." With that Ranor lead the four travelers to Torags' house.  
  
The house Torag lived in turned out to be right across from the festival hall and also one of the largest buildings in the village. Ranor showed Harry, Hagrid and Remus to a room and gave the second to Madame Maxime who was quite pleased to not be sleeping in a tent. Even though wizard tents were nothing like the ones Muggles used, it was still no house. Harry took a brief shower and then changed his clothes so that he would be fresh for the evening before settling down to a book to await Ranor.  
  
The time quickly passed and Ranor soon arrived to take them to the festival hall for dinner. Harry was especially hungry because he had not gotten much to eat that day with all the excitement in the afternoon. His eyes got large when they saw the piles of meat that sat at the table. Flies flew over some of it and not all smelled the greatest in the world. In moment Harry had lost a great deal of his appetite.  
  
"Young human, come down here and sit by me. Bring your friend with you." Harry sat to the right of Torag and Remus sat to his left. Hagrid and Madame Maxime were lead to seats a little farther down the table.  
  
"It's a good day for a feast. Bring out the ale." Torag shouted and soon many giants of various sizes where bringing out tankards that could easily hold three butter beers. The tankards were filled to the brim with a substance that had a distinctively bitter smell to them. Harry made a mental note to write a new book on giant etiquette that advised you to run away from any offered hospitality.  
  
"Mite big for you there, young human. Perhaps we could find a nursing mother to get you some milk to drink." Harry recognized the challenge that Torag had set before him. He had been insulted and it was a giant custom to not just let it slid by. Harry noticed that many of the giants were now staring at him to find out his reaction the offered challenge. Remus and Hagrid were staring at him as well. So after inwardly slapping himself for what he was about to do, he smiled at Torag and replied.  
  
"No, I think this suits me nicely." Before anyone could react Harry had grabbed the tankard with both hand and threw back the contents. The bitter substance slid down his throat and some escaped the corners of his mouth and rolled down his robes. Harry chugged the substance till the tankard ran dry and he slammed it back down on the table. No one reacted at first, but soon all the giants were cheering and Torag was laughing harder then them all. Harry let fourth a mighty belch, only increasing the cheering in the room. Torag turned to Harry and gave him a extremely hard smack on the back.  
  
"You earned a name from me young human. From now on I'll call you Oxgor. Because you may be small, but you hold your ale like a ox." The cheers erupted once more and all the giants raised their tankards to him.  
  
"Lenalfa, bring some more ale for Oxgor. I'd like you to meet him then as well." Torag called down to a young giantess who was just a foot taller than Harry. Harry looked down to Hagrid who was looking at him with the biggest smile Harry had ever seen on the giant. Then Harry's gaze fell on Remus who had a look somewhere between awe, amusement, and downright hilarity on his face. Harry quirked a eyebrow and then grabbed a hunk of sheep meat off the table. He gave the meat one last look before starting to eat it down. This was the epitome of the saying ' When in Rome do as the Romans do.'.  
  
The young giantess soon returned with another full tankard and set it in front of Harry. Torag stopped her before she could head off to help someone else. Harry now could see here fully in the light. She definitely wouldn't be able to go into human cities when she was older. She wasn't ugly by giant standards of anything. Just rather large by anyone who wasn't a giants standard.  
  
"Now Oxgor, I'd like you to meet my daughter Lenalfa. Lenalfa just received a letter telling her she was accepted to that wizard school Hogwarts. Do you happen to go there?" Harry was taken back, she was only eleven. Harry shock off his shock and replied.  
  
"Yeah, that's where I attend. I will be starting my fifth year this coming fall. I'm sure you'll love Hogwarts Lenalfa. It's really a blast." Harry smiled at the young giantess who turned a bit of a blush.  
  
"I ask that you make sure that she gets a fair shake of it down there Oxgor. Giant's aren't always treated like equals and I ask you to look out for her and make sure she's safe and happy there." This was something Harry didn't even have to think about. Of course he would do this. He would do it even if he hadn't been asked, it was just the right thing to do.  
  
"I promise you that as long as I am at Hogwarts no harm will come to your daughter, and that I will do all in my power to make sure she gets treated well." This time Torag stuck out his hand to Harry. Harry quickly took his hand and gave it a firm shake.  
  
"As I said before, perhaps there is still hope for the humans." Remus had a smile of pride on his face and so did Hagrid, they both had listened to the exchange.  
  
The rest of the evening past in a literal blur to Harry. He drained the tankard three more times and couldn't remember anything. He had vague flashes of standing on the table with Torag and several of the other giants singing. Then nothing at all past that. Harry awoke the next morning with a headache that made the pain he felt around Voldemort feel like a tickle. He couldn't for the life of him understand why the giant's would do something like this before a fight. Remus just stood at the door to the bathroom with a purple concoction in his hand. He watched Harry crawl as low to the ground as he could, all the while trying to hide his head in a pillow to stop the light from getting in.  
  
"Here Oxgor, drink this. It'll making the pounding go away." Remus and Hagrid chuckled at Harry's new name and over the fact of how quickly Harry snatched the potion and drank it down.  
  
"Not funny guys, and you are not to ever mention last night again. At least after you tell me what happened." Remus and Hagrid began laughing once more as Harry's head slowly returned to normal. As the headache went away various details of the nights events began to come into focus.  
  
"Never mind, don't tell me what happened last night. I don't think I want to know anymore." Harry groaned and fell back into bed.  
  
"True giant ale, it gives yer a kick en the pants. We'll have ter hit the tavern when we get back Harry." Hagrid chuckled, but Harry could tell that the half giant was actually rather serious over the matter.  
  
"All right, enough of the Harry abuse. When do we go meet the Savages today?" Remus smirked before replying.  
  
"Don't you mean Oxgor abuse. By day he's mild mannered Harry Potter, but by night he's duh da da duh OXGOR!!!" Harry cringed a bit.  
  
"The potion is just starting to work, but please keep your voice to a reasonable level. When do we ride out?" Harry posed his previous question again.  
  
"WE RIDE OUT IN A HOUR! IS THIS REASONABLE ENOUGH FOR YOU!!!" Remus shouted at the top of his lungs. Harry just grabbed some battle robes and walked into the bathroom.  
  
"When the world stops pulsating I'm going to kill you Moony!" With that said Harry shut the door and proceeded to drown himself in the large bathing basin.  
  
An hour later twenty five set fourth from the mixed blood camp with Togar, Harry, and Remus in the lead. Harry was dressed in sleeveless battle robes that had a split in the front and back below the waist to allow maximum leg movement. Harry's wand and sword were at his sides and he rode on a large horse. Out of the twenty five who assembled, only twelve were small enough to ride horses. All were decked out in full battle armor and most of the giants hefted large war hammers. They had chosen to meet the Savage before they approached the area surrounding the village. This would give the Wizards more room to work. After 30 minutes on horse back they reached a area with a large flat plateau on the mountain. The savage would have to pass through here to meet them. The ground was rocky and devoid of anything. No trees or bushes grew, and no boulder jutted up from the soil. Now they waited for the savage to rise to the other side of the plateau. After twenty minutes Harry began to believe that they were not attacking at all. Soon he was proved quite wrong.  
  
The screams of the approaching savage mingled together to form one of the worst cacophonies Harry had ever. They were cries that sounded like they came from the very bowels of hell. The sound of stones being shook free from their resting places and falling only added to the dreaded symphony of approaching mayhem. Harry looked at Remus, who nodded in return. They both drew their wands and began the complex spells they had discussed on the ride to the battle field. Remus began to weave his illusion spells and crafted a dragon out of thin air. Harry probed Remus' magic, and entwined his own into the spell. He combined spells he learned at Hogwarts with destructive battle magic to create blasts of fire that would blaze from the illusions mouth. He caused the spells to create walls of fire that would char the ground when the flame struck it. Even though the magic was cast one hundred and fifty yard from the assembled forces, they could still feel the edge to the mighty blasts of heat. The illusion would not last for long, but hopefully the savage would scatter upon seeing the beast.  
  
Soon the savage began to crest the plateau's eastern side. The ran at full pace over the rocky terrain that lead to the plateau. They wore tattered rags and their hair grew long and tangled. Their skin was caked with dirt and Harry could smell them even before they came to the top of the two hundred yard plateau. They ranged in sizes just as the mixed blood giants did, and they carried large rocks and tree stumps as weapons. First ten crested the plateau, then twenty, then thirty. Their numbers kept increasing till more than forty savage had reached the plateau.  
  
The first of them caught site of the illusion dragon and kept up the pace of the charge. Harry worked the magic and caused the beast to let fourth a mighty blast of fire that struck near the lead of the savage army. The savage would not be dissuaded, something pushed them onward. Like a river the broke around the flames and continued to charge. Soon they reached the dragon itself and the illusion flickered and faded from existence. Harry looked to Remus to see how he should proceed, only to find Remus not having the answers either. Torag voice filled all their ears as he shouted the new orders.  
  
"Messenger, ride at top speed back to the village and tell them to flee. Have them take the northern route to the Full blood camp. We will hold them off as long as we can and then collapse the pass to buy more time for them to escape. Once I give the order we will retreat to the west and head through Mountain troll country on the long route to the camp. Just try to hold them off as long as we can." Torags voice betrayed no fear to the greater number that they had not prepared to face. He leaned over towards Harry and Remus and spoke quieter to them.  
  
"It appears your magic did not work, and that the savage are not as defenseless as you thought. Will you use your magic against then now? Come Oxgor, we will see if you fight as well as you drink." Harry turned back to Remus who had drew his sword and had his wand ready in his other hand. Remus looked at Harry and spoke first.  
  
"Do you know anything about fighting on horse back?" Harry ran through everything he had read on the subject.  
  
"A little, do we have any other options in this matter?" Hagrid who had selected freed his war hammer shook his head in the negative.  
  
"Well at least when this is over we'll have a full escort to the giant's camp." Remus chuckled at the strange twist that now putting them against a horde of savage.  
  
"Yer ready then 'Arry?" Harry drew his sword and then made sure of his balance on the horse.  
  
"I'll see you three after the battle then, remember, we can't die yet, there's still much to do." With that Madame Maxime gave each of them a nod before drawing her wand and preparing to meet the onslaught. Torag gave the battle orders.  
  
"Riders prepare to charge, footmen follow immediately after." Harry settled himself better on the back of the horse and picked his first target from the savage who were now one hundred yards away.  
  
"CHARGE!!!" Torag shouted and the horses took off in a flat out gallop towards the first of the savage ranks.  
  
Harry pushed his heels hard into the flanks of his horse, urging it to increase it's speed. He leaned closer to his mounts neck and leveled his wand at the front of the first rank before him. Now was not the time for indecision, it was a time when you either acted or you were killed. He synchronized his hand movements till his wand leveled with the rolling gait of the horse. He watched after shouting the incantation for the powerful jet of fire he had used in conjunction with the dragon illusion. The flames rolled ahead of him and bite into the first of his now approaching enemies. The fallen savage screamed in pain and clawed at their charred flesh. They tore hunks of the blackened skin from their bodies and then collapsed to the ground from the overload of pain. Harry rode into the indentation that was now refilling with savage at full gallop. He lost sight of those around him as his horse trampled through the savage hoards. He rode through most of the initial savage till he reached some of the larger slower moving opponents. Harry slashed with his sword wildly in every direction as he went onward. Some fell as Harry's blade slashed into their exposed flesh, leaving room so others would continue to replace their fallen comrades. Harry ducked under a large tree trunk that was swung with enough force to remove his head, and at the same time he plunged his blade into the mass of tangled hair that he could only assume was the savage's head. As he retracted his blade from the falling giant he turned and fired a series of stunning spells into the savage that were closing in around him. Several fell, only to find themselves trampled by other savage who clambered over their fallen bodies. He turned just in time to deflect a club that was aimed at his left side and strike with a slash at the one who attacked him. Harry pointed his wand to his left and shouted a spell to cause a small shock wave to knock down those in the immediate vicinity. He turned his horse to the side and pulled back on the reigns to cause the horse to rear up on it's rear legs and bring it's hooves down upon the skull of a fallen giant. Though the savage were to numerous to defeat they were not the most skilled of fighters. Harry spotted Remus to his left and directed his horse in that direction, pushing through those who attempted to hem him away from his comrades. Harry was now soaked in the blood of the fallen and sweat streaked down his face. This all combined with his own blood and that of his horses from minor cuts from where the enemy had clawed at him. Harry moved to Remus and took up a position on his left side so that he could concentrate his efforts on one side. Remus was thankful for the protection and proceeded to protect the right flank. Harry and Remus fought together for 15 minutes, moving in a circle they caused more and more of the enemy to fall. No matter how many attacked they managed to repel the savage. They could not last forever and their numbers already began to dwindle under the fierce combat. Savage showed no mercy and Harry saw many a mixed blood giant fall to their horde. Harry cast mainly dueling magic, because the savage wouldn't be able to remove the spells. His horse was hit by a club and fell to the ground with him on it. He rolled free from the horse and kicked to his feet, never releasing his grip on his wand and sword. The giants began to press in on him, they would take advantage of his size. Harry pressed his back against Remus' horse and cast the same fire spell he had used at the beginning of the battle. A cone of flames swept around those who attempted to kill him and many of them fell to the ground, the smell of their charred flesh filled Harry's nose and made him gasp for air. Harry barely had time to look into the face of one that had fallen, but those seconds would stick with him forever. He saw the pain in the eyes of the dying, he felt the sorrow for what he had been forced to do. Harry didn't have time to think, a whistle through the air caught his attention. Savage were hurling large boulders into the very heart of the battle. They crashed around him, breaking bones of friend and foe. Harry cast a physical shield charm to try to deflect the barrage that now fell like rain. Remus reached down and hoisted Harry onto the back of his horse. Harry slid his sword into it's scabbard and began to fire stunning spells at any who dared approach. A loud rumble caught his attention and he looked out to see a rock slid had started. The debris pilled and blocked the path that they had used to ride onto the plateau. Harry paid for his lack of concentration when a smaller giant swung his club and smacked him squarely in the side. Despite the pain Harry spun around and cast a stronger severing charm that cut right through the giants neck. It's head fell towards the ground and it's body collapsed backwards. A trumpet sounded the retreat and Remus brought his horse to a full gallop. He rode back through the masses of the dead and dying to the path that they would use to escape. Remus didn't pause to wait for anyone else, he simply spurred his horse onward and descended into a small forested area on the mountain side. Five minutes at full gallop brought him to a clearing that they were to use as a rally point if anything went wrong. Things definitely went wrong and Remus was hopping to meet up with the survivors there.  
  
Harry strained to see into the few who had gathered. Harry thanked whatever force was listening when he saw Hagrid and Madame Maxime sitting on a old log. Hagrid was tending to some rather nasty cuts and Madame Maxime was using magic to seal up the worst of the injuries.  
  
"'Arry, I'm glad ter see yah made it through alrigh'" Hagrid helped Harry down from the horse and Remus dismounted after him.  
  
"Takes more than a few savage to slow us down!" Remus said in a jocular manner.  
  
"How many survived? Did Torag make it?" Harry tried to count the few that remained in the clearing. However he could only find nine there. Hagrid answered him in a sad voice.  
  
"Only ten survived, us included. Torag wen' off inter the forest." The enormity of the situation pressed down on Harry. They had lost fifteen men and had taken to many lives themselves. Harry walked off into the forest to contemplate the loss. Remus was about to go after him but Madame Maxime stopped him.  
  
"No, He needs to sort this out for himself." Remus nodded and then sat back down to tend to his own injuries.  
  
Harry leaned up against a tree at the edge of the forest. He had walked to where the trees no longer grew and the mountain face dropped off in a thousand foot drop. He looked out at the setting mid day sun and noticed the red tinge in the sky. Harry pulled the sword free from it's scabbard and looked at the red stained blade. The sword had bitten into flesh and taken lives, it had lost it's innocence and now knew the scars of life. It had served the purpose it had been designed for. It fought and shed blood, taking what could not be given back. Harry realized that it wasn't the sword he was thinking about. It was himself, he had fought and drew blood. He had taken what couldn't be returned. The blade fell loose from Harry's hand and clattered to the ground. Harry fell to his knees with a wave of nausea.  
  
"It's never easy is it?" A voice from the left drew his attention. There stood Torag, his arm bracing himself against a tree.  
  
"It's only when it becomes easy that you need to worry. Your a good kid Oxgor, you know what's right and what's wrong. I pray that there will be more like you. Every time I set foot into battle I remind myself that those are my kin I am facing. We are bonded and nothing can break that apart. Each life that falls to my hammer is another that I must bare. You have to keep reminding yourself what you are fighting for. We each fight for different reasons. I fight for the sake of my tribe. At the end of the day I must determine what if what I fight for is worth it. There will always be those out there who wish to fight. So tell me Oxgor, what do you fight for? Is it really worth it?" Harry didn't reply, he just let Torags' words run through his mind.  
  
"Come Oxgor, It is a long ride to the Full blood camp. The sooner we leave mountain troll country the better." Torag walked back in the direction of the clearing.  
  
Harry rose and collected his sword once more. He moved back to the assembled group who were preparing to move out. Without saying a word he took out his pack from his pocket and enlarged it. He threw it on his back and set off with the rest of the giants who were now following Torag towards the snow capped peaks. His mind swirled with questions that only he could answer. Little did the assembled giants know that they all were now being closely followed by inhuman creatures, and that they were still in grave danger.  
  
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(Hope you liked, see author note at top for info on next chapter and future plans. Remember to review!) BYE 


	6. Chapter 5: Encounters in the Darkness

Disclaimer: all characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers. Not me. Sucks don't it! I think I own the plot though, but since it took off where JK left off I'm not even sure of that. What's that, I think I hear the sound of the worlds smallest violin playing me a sad song. I think I'll just go crawl under a rock and die.  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 5: Encounters in the Dark  
  
  
  
(IMPORTANT A/N: The second section might be closer to a R rating. The scene in the torture chamber could be considered to have thematic elements not suitable for PG 13. Language isn't a problem though! Thank you for taking the time to read this.) ******  
  
Sirius and Brin, Thursday June 27th  
  
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Thoughts of how stupid this actually was kept crossing Sirius Blacks' mind as he slunk through the shadows. To the guard who had spotted him minuets before he was just another stray dog looking for a scrap to eat. Yet he was a animagus, and more importantly he was on a mission. The clock by the entrance read 11:52 P.M., this meant that he only had 8 minutes before the changing of the guard. He wouldn't get another shot until several hours latter, not to mention Brin would be very mad at him for making her wait.  
  
His thoughts turned to his godson, who he recently received word was gallivanting in the mountains with Hagrid and Remus. He would have words with Dumbledore about that particular omission latter. Sirius had been worried about the boy after the trauma that he had suffered last year, yet Dumbledore had assured him that Harry would get along fine. Years of being unable to take care of the child had caused Sirius to become protective of Harry.  
  
Child, if any word described Harry that was not it. Sirius regretted being unable to preserve the boys childhood. Instead of growing up knowing love and care free happiness, Harry had known only responsibility and pain. Harry was by no means a child, he was never afforded that particular luxury. A curse upon the Dursley's and Voldemort for tearing away the happiness of his godson and forcing him into this life of cruelty. What would James and Lily say if they say what was constantly heaped upon the shoulders of their son. They would of course be proud of him, how couldn't they be. But would they be disappointed that no one protected Harry through all this?  
  
James and Lily brought memories in Sirius that he had tried desperately to suppress. Even after spending two years out of Azkaban he couldn't banish the horrible after effects of the Dementors. He had failed them in protecting their lives, and he had failed them in being a godfather to their son. He had failed them in more ways than he could name and the guilt brought a tear to the dogs eye.  
  
Sirius thanked whatever gods were listening that Harry didn't see it that way. It was the boy's acceptance and forgiveness that brought him through some of his darkest hours. Lily's love ran through Harry, and Sirius knew that he would probably forgive Voldemort himself if he asked for repentance and truly meant it. Yet he had the determination and courage of James as well. Harry wouldn't ever stand aside and let anyone be treated unjustly. Even if it meant risking his life he would easily give it to protect others, Harry proved that to often. Sirius once more cursed himself for not being their to help shape such a wonderful person. To offer the boy the assurance that someone was their for him. Even now they were so far apart that they couldn't even contact each other. Something had decided that they would never be allowed the happiness of being together and seemed determined to keep it that way.  
  
To hell with that, when he finished this he would see his godson again and nothing would stop him. Azkaban or not he wouldn't let Harry be alone any longer. Their was so much he could teach Harry, so much that James would have wanted Harry to know.  
  
Sirius was brought out of his musings to see that the guard had decided to leave early. This would give him more time to slip in the small air duct and allow Brin entrance to the archive facility. Sirius ran from the shadows to the grating and bashed into it with all his might. The grating groaned but did not give way. He was forced to back up and try again, no magic could be used or alarms would be set off and the mission would be ended. The grating dented and then burst at it's hinges allowing the panel to swing inward. Sirius wasted no time in entering the duct, and escaping the possibility of being seen by the next guard on duty. Inside it was dark and Sirius had trouble seeing one foot in front of him, so he relied on his other senses to direct him. Sounds up ahead alerted Sirius to his proximity to the main hall and he adjusted his direction to match where he wanted to come out. After what seemed like minutes he had reached the vent that was located next to the side door where Brin was waiting. Sirius pushed the vent open and then crawled out, he was a bit sore from having to crawl so long but he shock it off.  
  
The hall he found himself in was dark, typical for the time he had chosen to intrude at. The tiled floor caught the dim shine from ceiling lights spaced sporadically down the hall. Few doors lined the hall and a red exit sign hung above the one Sirius was searching for. After transforming back into his human form he cautiously crept towards the exit. Slowly he made his way to the exit, constantly checking to hear coming voices as he went. Sirius cursed under his breath when he heard the noise of a guard standing at the door. It must have taken him longer to move through the duct work then he expected. After taking stock of his options he concluded that he couldn't wait in the open for the next guard change. It wouldn't be long before the next hall sweep alerted his presence in the building.  
  
Sirius knocked on the door to get the guards attention, then he hid to the side where the door would hide him once opened. The guard opened the door and called for whoever knocked, yet he received no reply. Carefully he stepped into the darkened hall and lifted his wand to cast light. No sooner did the light appear then Sirius grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back. The man made to scream in pain, but found a hand had been firmly placed in front of his mouth. A small vile was crushed against his chest and a noxious fume raced to his nose. No sooner did he breath in the gas then he began to fell to tired to fight. Sleep overwhelmed him and he slumped to the floor.  
  
Sirius opened the door once more, and was meet with Brin waiting on the other side. He motioned to the fallen man and together they drug him back to the duct and slide his body into it, before replacing the cover. Sirius grabbed the mans wand which was still lit with the Lumos spell and used it to light there way as they crept through the darkened halls.  
  
A tap on his shoulder alerted Sirius to Brin, who was pointing towards a door marked stairwell. They tried to open it, but found it locked to their efforts. Sirius withdrew his own wand to unlock the door, but Brin motioned for the wand of the guard they had taken care of earlier. Sirius handed it to her and, after looking at him with a look that said can you be that stupid, she tapped the guards wand on the knob. It glowed red for a second before turning green and clicking open. Brin took the lead up the stairwell and Sirius prepared his wand in case it was needed. The many metal stairs clanged with their footsteps and Sirius cringed at every peep.  
  
At the top of the stairs Sirius waited for Brin to open the door and then followed her into the new hallway. This one was carpeted and the walls were painted white giving it a very office building look. Pictures lined the wall and Sirius thanked good that the ones with people were sleeping. After another ten minutes of searching they ran into another door marked Census documents and knew that had reached their destinations.  
  
After using the guards wand once more they opened the door and stepped inside. As they entered lights lit the room and Sirius dove to the side, searching for targets as he went. Finding none he concluded that the room was charmed to light upon someone entering it. The room was decorated much the like the hall except this one was filled with enough rows of bookshelves to rival the Hogwarts library. Thousands of folders lined each bookcase and Sirius inwardly groaned at the prospect of trying to find information in this mess.  
  
A noise behind them at the door alerted them to someone who was about to come in behind them. A man in a guard uniform stepped into the room , Sirius and Brin took cover behind a desk set up for reviewing files.  
  
"I don't see anybody in here, are you sure there isn't just a problem with the spell. It could just be a rat, we've been having problems with them recently." He spoke to another who hadn't entered the room.  
  
"Look the detectors alerted energy usage on the spell net in this room. It's standard procedure to check it out." The first man got a exasperated look upon his face and turned to face the second. Sirius reached into his cloak and drew out a much larger beaker of the potion he had used earlier.  
  
"Fine, just reset the system and if anything happens it's on my head. They aren't paying me enough to deal with this." The second guard waved his wand and the lights went out once more. Sirius waited till he could no longer hear their footsteps and their voices grew distant before exhaling and placing the beaker away once more.  
  
Unfortunately it had taken them to long to enter the building and wait for the guards to leave. They wouldn't have enough time to search out all the files they needed.  
  
"We'll have to use plan b. What do you think?" Sirius pulled out a bag on his desk and began preparing something inside it.  
  
"I always liked plan b better, much less of this sneaking around. Perhaps we should try plan Q?" Sirius stopped what he was doing to look at Brin.  
  
"Plan Q? I didn't know we had a plan Q." Sirius scratched his head and went over what they had discussed.  
  
"Sure we do, you know, plan Quite talking and hurry the hell up!" Sirius grimaced and then turned pack to what he was doing.  
  
"All right, Albus said that once we take this potion we'd only have ten minutes in which our spells would be hidden. Extraction begins in five so we'll only get another five minutes to make it out to the escape point. After plan b goes into effect we have to move quickly because this place will be swarming." Brin nodded and took the first potion. Sirius followed her, and then together they began summoning hundred of folders into two black bags Albus had given them. Several times Sirius had to duck oncoming folders which threatened to paper cut off his head. He wasn't entirely sure whether Brin was doing it on purpose or not, but it didn't seem to be happening to her. After four minutes they seemed to have gathered 75% of the folders, and more were streaming into the bags every minute.  
  
Sirius stopped summoning and began work on the next step of plan b while Brin continued the mad dance of papers. He removed a marble beaker of a dark red liquid and a much smaller, yet thicker glass vile of a clear one. After avoiding the papers, he moved to the center of the room and set the marble beaker on the floor.  
  
"That's as much as we're going to get, besides I don't know to many people with last names beginning with WXY or Z. I really dislike those letters anyway, they always seemed to irk me." Sirius just shock his head.  
  
"All right shut the bags." Sirius took a bag and swung it over his back.  
  
"Twenty seconds!" Brin nodded and Sirius dropped the vile into the dark red liquid. Immediately they took off out of the room. Not bothering with the fact that the lights went back on when they opened the door again. Meanwhile the dark red potion was eating away the glass that kept it's clear contents separated. This was the dragons fire potion, and once the two potions mixed you didn't want to be anywhere near.  
  
Sirius and Brin had just shut the door to the stairwell when the sound of the archive room door slamming into the opposite side of the hall reached their ears. A deafening roar of fire was the only thing that preceded the stairwell door bursting open and liquid fire spilling down the staircase. Sirius cast a fire shielding charm on himself and Brin, then two rushed down the remaining stairs. Both of them prayed that the shield would withstand the immense heat long enough for them to reach safety. This was not to be, they watched as the shield which had been glowing bright red began to dull. The fire had forced the bottom stairwell door open as well, it's burning hunger overcoming all magical restriction barriers. Sirius and Brin dove out of the stairwell and into the hall on the ground floor just as the shield faded completely. The majority of the explosion had already passed and now only the structure was lit on fire. Soon they reached the emergency exit only to find that the intense flames on the upper level had eaten through the floor and to much debris was blocking their exit.  
  
Thinking fast they decided to try their luck with the main entrance, and pray Moody had the situation under control. However they would not make it without running into guards attempting to put out the fire. By now water was pouring from ducts in various sections of the hallway in a attempt to put out the fire. Though it would have been useful in most situations, the dragon fire had already reached the central supports of the building. It had stressed the magical enforcement's to their breaking point and the magical fire prevention system couldn't act quickly enough to put it under control. Pieces of the ceiling fell into their path, but Sirius and Brin attempted to avoid the delays. The water was building up and they were forced to slog through it while attempting to avoid the still burning walls.  
  
Two guards turned the corner of the last hallway and Sirius drew his wand to defend. The guards used the debris that pilled above the water level to provide protection, while Sirius and Brin ducked into a side door which had fallen. The water was beginning to tax the already stressed building and the walls began to groan under the strain. Sirius grabbed the green beaker from inside his cloak and tossed it down the hall. It connected with the debris and a cloud of noxious gas put the two guards to sleep.  
  
Sirius and Brin reached the guards and took their wands. They were about to continue when Brin made Sirius stop. She pointed her wand at one of the fallen guards and cast enervate upon his sleeping form.  
  
"Take your buddy out of here, and down the hall on the left there is another guard in a vent shaft. Go now!" The man hustled to his feet and dragged his still sleeping comrade into a less damaged side room.  
  
Sirius and Brin didn't wait to see the man go after the outside guard. Right now they had to escape as well. They turned a corner and were meet with several stunning spells fired in their direction. Brin looked up and saw a low hanging bar which came loose from the rafters.  
  
"Jump!" Sirius obeyed and the two leapt up and grasped hold of the bar. Brin used one hand to fire a freezing charm at the water around their pursuers and it immediately turned to ice. The guards were trapped in the ice and Sirius and Brin continued down the direction to the exit.  
  
Lights of the less damaged section of the building assaulted their eyes when they rounded the final corner. Their standing in the middle of the hall was Alastor Moody with a rye smile on his face.  
  
"Kids today can't pull off a simple mission without bringing the house down. Shouldn't send some young pups to do a mans job I say." His magical eye roamed over the two of them and then began to scan the interior of the building.  
  
"You two better get out of here. I told them I'd guard this entrance while they took care of the fire. But I can see several are headed this way." Sirius just nodded and took off past the retired Auror and out into the night. They ran twenty feet down the path and then Apparated to safety.  
  
They appeared back inside the old tree which Brin called home. After removing the hoods that they had used to keep their identities hidden they sat down around the kitchen table which seemed to grow from the floor.  
  
"Well that was a success. Now all we have to do is sort through all these names and send letters to the list of names Dumbledore gave us." Sirius smiled and leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Yeah right, perfectly simple. We just have to sort through several million names and get into contact with several thousand people, more than half of which we don't know. Then we have to convince them to agree to attend a meeting at Hogwarts. Did I forget to mention that all this has to happen by the last week of August before the school year starts." Sirius smile just continued to grow.  
  
"Yeah, that's about it." Brin got a puzzled look on her face which soon reverted to her normal smile.  
  
"Oh, okay then. Just making sure." The two had their work cut out for them, and the next two months would be extremely busy.  
  
  
  
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Snape Voldemort Lucius, Sunday, June 30th  
  
******  
  
  
  
The French café that Lucius choose to meet at wasn't the type of establishment Severus usually frequented. While Malfoy enjoyed luxury, nothing would delight Severus Snape more than a darkened quiet tavern. One where you didn't see the other patrons because they were well hidden in the shadows. Yet here he was, about to enter the world of the rich and snobbish just so he could pump this miserable excuse for a human for information.  
  
If there was one thing Severus couldn't stand, Potter outstanding, it was having to pretend that he actually gave a damn about anything Lucius cared about. Alas, Lucius had been present at the castle more than he had been. Therefore he would be the best source to find the goings on of Voldemort.  
  
After spotting the cocky older Malfoy sitting in the back Snape made his way through the mass of witches and wizards to meet him. With any luck this wouldn't be a entirely taxing visit, and he could return to his dungeon soon.  
  
"Hello Lucius." Snapes' greeting did nothing to veil his mood, but it seemed to fit with the snobbish conceited atmosphere that any good death eater was supposed to give off. As long as you treated the rest of the world like it was beneath you, you were succeeding quite well.  
  
"Hello Severus, I must say I am pleased that you know where your loyalties lay. I was most concerned when you didn't show up for the re birthing. It was a grand event to see our Lord torture the Potter boy. Pity he didn't kill him. However, your capture of the traitor ensured your loyalty quite nicely."  
  
"Yes it is a pity the boy didn't die, however, that is a pity that could be soon rectified. Have you heard any plans to kill the miserable whelp. I don't think I could stand another year without doing the job myself." This was a mixture of lies and truth, but its answer would provide valuable information. The longer Voldemort obsessed over the boy, the bigger a weakness his obsession would become. Snape had to admit that Potter had succeeded in thoroughly pissing the Dark Lord off on several occasions.  
  
"No, while our Lord doesn't actively seek the boy he believes the opportunity will soon present itself. Now he deals with more important matters." Perhaps he would get a chance to gain some insight into what the Dark Lord planned.  
  
"I tire of waiting, when are we going to move once more." Severus put on a impatient face, and his best superior to the world expression.  
  
"Rest assured my friend, the wait will not be long. Battle brews on the horizon, any day now our Lord will get the information he seeks and then we will move. Though I fear you will be forced to keep up appearance and abstain from the opportunity."  
  
"Really, what information would that be?" Severus leaned closer so that he could better here the reply.  
  
"I do not know, two were captured under his orders three nights ago and none have seen them since. I have been invited to assist the Lord, I can only guess it is to torture some secret out of them. Perhaps you could join me. I'm sure you could come up with something interesting to break them. The very fact that they have survived three nights without being broken speaks of what a challenge this will be. Other than that, he speaks nothing of his plans or what information he seeks." Snape considered the possibility of what could be so important that one would undergo such torture without revealing. If it was that important, the Dark Lord would not let them die until he obtained what he wanted. There would be no mercy visit for those two unfortunate souls.  
  
"Willing to venture a guess as to who they are?" Severus quickly began to realize just how important this information could prove to be.  
  
"At first I thought they were ministry, maybe Unspeakables. However this morning I checked the logs and all Unspeakables and Aurors are accounted for. Than I thought they were working for that fool Dumbledore, but you would have gotten word if that were so. Perhaps we could persuade them to be more forthcoming with our Lord. Shall we go then?" Snape could only think about how little he wanted to spend his day with Malfoy and Voldemort for company.  
  
"Might as well, perhaps we can obtain insight into who the prisoners are." After leaving several Galleons on the table Lucius and Severus exited the café and used their mark to Apparate to Voldemort. Not even Lucius knew the location of Voldemort's castle. He too had to rely on his mark to bring him to it's gates.  
  
They walked in silence through the perpetually darkened castle. Turning down corridors and stairways that formed the interior of Voldemort's stronghold. The gloomy atmosphere was a testimony to the dark unnatural evil that lurked within it's walls. If one stayed long enough they might forget there was a sky beyond the castles walls. You could become condemned to the castles interiors forever.  
  
A final turn brought them to the entrance to Voldemort's personal dark torture chambers. Lucius knocked upon the door and waited for admittance to the horrors that lay behind it. The chamber door creaked open and the two who waited for admittance where allowed entrance.  
  
"Ah Lucius, and Severus. It pleases me that you both could join me." The Dark Lords face split into a grin that would send shivers down the steeliest heart.  
  
"My Lord, how may we be of assistance." Lucius and Snape bowed before Voldemort to show the respect that the Dark Lord required of his followers.  
  
"You can join me on my personal project. My patience grows short with these two filth and I grow bored hearing their screams." For the first time Snape caught sight of the two Lucius had mentioned. One man and one women had been stripped naked in the center of the room. They were being suspended from the ceiling using large metal bolts driven into there wrists and ankles. The weight of their bodies pulled at the ripped flesh and tore even larger wounds in there limbs. Blood dripped from there naked body like falling rain and the stench that filled the room was sickening. Underneath them a fire had been magically built to scorch the underside of their bodies and force them to thrash about more.  
  
"My Lord, I don't believe we could possibly do a better job than you have done. However we will try to continue to break them down in your stead." Voldemort gave them his twisted grin once more and then left the room.  
  
"Yes, now where shall we start?" Lucius took a brand that was set beside the fire and began to burn deep holes into their backs, forcing them further towards the fire. Yet neither of them pleaded for mercy, they only screamed out in pain.  
  
"Why don't you just make it easier on yourselves. The pain could end if you simply give our Lord what he wants." The man turned his head to the side to face Malfoy. At first he looked like he was about to speak, but then he spit into Malfoys' face. A Cruciatus curse caused the tortured man to struggle with his bonds once more before going slack when the curse was lifted. Malfoy resorted to torturing the female by shoving burning coals inside her. Severus wanted to rip his own ears off so he wouldn't hear her screams, instead he was forced to steel his own gaze.  
  
"What's the matter bitch, do I light your fire? Your friend won't even speak to save you. Why don't you cooperate and we will end the torment." The woman gave Snape a look of pure hate, only making him loathe himself once more. The thought that he ever got off on this was something that made him hate himself even more. Severus watched as Lucius took a blade and carved the dark mark into her backside. He watched with a smile as blood welled from her wound and dripped into the fire.  
  
"I urge you to speak now before I allow the wolves to nibble upon your breasts." Snape cringed at the mental torture this poor woman was going through.  
  
"Severus, join us! I don't want to hog all the fun." Severus walked over to the man and took a dropper from inside his cloak. He took two drops and placed it on the mans back. The greenish liquid ate into the mans back and made the skin boil. His muscles began to spasm and he screamed in pain, he tried to relax but the potion kept tightening the muscles. No amount of control could cause the pain to go away.  
  
"Severus you did always enjoy the most interesting forms of torture." Lucius chuckled as he took a filet blade and skimmed off layers of her flesh until blood began to coat the surface. He continued to skin her alive until he grew bored of her screams. A handful of salt on the raw tissue made her scream once more.  
  
The door to the dungeon opened once more and Voldemort strode back into the chamber. He had a pleased expression on his face when he saw his two loyal death eaters hard at work.  
  
"I have acquired the location of a third. We can kill these two, perhaps this new one will provide more information." The man who was just being released from the effects of Snape's potion turned and spoke for the first time in three days. His voice was scratchy and it took great effort for him to speak.  
  
"Take as many of us as you can find, we phoenix will never reveal the secrets given to us. For everyone of us you kill a new generation will take our places. So has it been since the beginning of time. A curse upon you and your kind!" Voldemort was outraged and he stepped closer to the man.  
  
"Mark my words, even if I have to kill every one of you vermin till all your lines die, I always get what I want." With that said Voldemort took a blade and sliced the man's stomach open. His intestines spilled out and fell into the fire bellow him. The scent of burning human flesh met the mans nostrils before the pain became to much. He watched as his insides were cooked as he died there.  
  
"Leave her, I'll kill her in front of the new victim." Lucius and Severus bowed before their Lord and exited the chamber.  
  
Severus returned that afternoon with more questions then he had when he left. Who were the two poor souls who meet their ends in Voldemort's chamber, and what was he after? Only time could answer these questions. For now he could only tell Dumbledore what he had learned, and hope the Headmaster could find a way to protect others from similar fates. Whoever they were, these people were in serious trouble.  
  
******  
  
(A/N) Thanks to all who reviewed  
  
Oriana Dumbledore: Thank you, I pride myself in originality. I don't like reusing common themes. I really wanted to get Harry out into the world early.  
  
Animagiman: Rest assured the magic usage in this fic will definitely begin to pick up. They'll be a good magical battle in the next chapter. Thanks for the review.  
  
Sabrina: Thanks for the review, and I am currently looking for a beta for this fic. I really wanted to get that last chapter out so I didn't have a whole lot of time to proof it. I'll make sure to dedicate more time to making sure there are less mistakes. And I do plan to fix some of the mistakes in the previous chapter as well. Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like the story!  
  
You-Know-Who: *Blush* your sweet! Thanks for the review!  
  
Ariel: Thanks, I appreciate your input. You hit on some of the major things I hope to work through emotionally. Harry's going to have to realize that sometimes you can't talk out your differences. All leading to the point that the right path can be a hard one to tow. I really want to keep working with Harry, he has a lot ahead of him. Thanks for the Review!  
  
Otaku freak: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: Thank you very much, I'm glad you like my fic!  
  
BlackDragon: Thank you very much for reviewing, I always appreciate a review!  
  
Rogue1615: I'm glad you like it, and thanks for reviewing  
  
Namwolf: Thanks for your comments, I'll remember that in the future. I like to keep realism in my fic, and I appreciate that information. Thanks for the review! 


	7. Chapter 6: The Trial Ambush

Disclaimer: In a parallel universe where cheese is the only important food group I might own Harry Potter. However in this dimension, not so much. So until I find a way to return to that universe I must decline ownership and give credit to JK.  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 6: The Trial Ambush  
  
  
  
  
  
The chill of the great mountains had begun to settle in as the group climbed higher into their upper reaches. The change had been fast and unexpected to all who didn't call these mountains home. Just the day before they walked amongst tree filled glades, now they were forced to trudge through foot deep snow on their journey. The half giants explained that a band of magically cold weather served to add extra protection to the giants at the top. Nothing grew on the barren rocks that surrounded them. There was no natural beauty this high up, only layers of fresh and older snow fall.  
  
Torag had explained to Harry the importance of having scouts while traveling. They had sent some of the half giants to sweep the left and right of the path ahead. Others were left farther behind their rear to prevent anyone from sneaking up on their backs. There was a ever present danger when traveling in this area of attack. Mountain troll clans spread throughout the higher altitudes waiting for travelers like themselves. Though they weren't the most intelligent, but they were known for ambushing travelers.  
  
Harry had grown to like Torag over the short while he had known the half giant. Torag was a natural born leader and had taken an interest in showing Harry how he marshaled those under his command. Torag had even begun to warm up to Remus as well, which was amazing in itself. It seemed that after you fought side by side you were instantly excepted into the group. This pleased Hagrid tremendously, now the half giant had a chance to talk with those of his kind. Madame Maxime was still a bit indifferent in admitting her ties to those around her and kept to herself a lot.  
  
The travel robes Harry had brought along weren't doing a good job in keeping him to warm. Apparently they weren't designed for the extreme cold, in fact they did nothing to keep in his body heat. He was forced to keep placing heating charms on his attire, this was useless as ten minutes later they'd be back to being as cold as ever. To make matters worse, the giants had begun to find it quite amusing. Remus had a thick hooded overcoat on and Harry was trying his best not to throw the older man dirty looks. Hagrid and Madame Maxime wore overcoats similar to what the rest of the half giants wore. So it was much to Harry's pleasure that Torag gave him a beautiful black bear skinned coat. It was extremely heavy, but Harry was pleased to note that he had begun to develop a bit of muscle mass.  
  
They were forced to turn the horses they had loose when Torag announced that the snow in the passes up ahead would make it impassable on the big pack animals. So it was much to Harry's chagrin that he was forced to resume the trek on foot.  
  
The mountains really were beautiful though, definitely dangerous, but beautiful none the less. When they weren't walking along sheer rock walls, they were edged in by bottomless ravines that would drop you straight down to your death. Still, the view made the perils of the journey worth it.  
  
Though the half giants were somewhat bulky to say the least, they definitely were capable of moving around at this altitude. They weren't suffering from the lack of oxygen that Harry and Remus were having to endure. There great lungs were much better equipped in drawing in more air to make up for the apparent lack of it. Remus showed Harry a spell which made him be able to breath easier, and he was grateful for it.  
  
Despite the pace in which they traveled Harry still worked hard in learning what was set out before him. It was a common thing to see Harry sitting by the fire with his soft black bear cloak, and reading out of large books. He had begun to learn more and more spells to prepare himself for another meeting with those strange creatures they had encountered at the base of the mountain. No longer did he learn the simple curses, because they seemed to have no effect on the beasts when they had been attempted. His skill with the blade was also advancing as well. The half giants were more than willing to spare with him, and Harry began to learn what to do when your opponent was bigger than you were.  
  
The day's passed with harsh weather and the nights were bitterly cold, yet the group pushed onward. All the while the giants began to get more serious and paranoid. When Harry asked about the growing tension, Torag told him they were entering the heart of mountain troll country. More guards were posted at night, and more scouts were sent ahead and behind to insure they were safe. This made moving slower, but when faced with the alternative of being attacked Harry was quite thankful.  
  
During those hard days Harry had time to think about his life. He came to the conclusion that somewhere along the line he had become royally screwed. The fame could occasionally be a nice thing, but in the long run it was a major pain in the ass. He despised the fact that his life was seemingly planned out ahead of him. Somewhere inside he knew that he was slowly dying. The happy moments were becoming fewer, and the hardships were just increasing. If he didn't step out of the path he was being lead upon, and take control of his life he would break. He wanted to tell Remus about his feelings of being trapped, but the words always seemed to get lost on the way to his mouth.  
  
Other problems pained Harry as well. He had killed half giants with his sword and spells, did that somehow damn him. He made excuses that he was only defending himself, but his heart somehow didn't believe him. It was like a spirit overwhelmed him when he was in battle. Some part of him found it so easy to take what could not be given back, that part scared him. How could he go back to Hogwarts after what he had seen, after what he had done. He would be a taint to those around him, he had lost his innocence. At least that's what he kept telling himself.  
  
Harry wrapped himself tightly in his bear cloak, the snow had begun to fall again. After making a promise to take a three day hot bath when he got back, he threw his satchel over his shoulder and pressed onward. It was mid afternoon and they had just gone behind a frozen water fall that seemed to be trapped for all time. It was truly a marvelous sight, but he had to keep attention to the froze path they were walking on. At certain points he found it easier to walk in the footsteps of the half giants who had easily broken through the ice. Other times, when the surface was strong enough, he would walk on top of the frozen layer.  
  
"Hey kid, you warm enough?" Remus had caught up to where Harry was walking. Harry turned to him and gave him the best grin he could muster.  
  
"About as warm as I could be when the temperature is well below freezing. Other than that I feel like going skinny dipping, or maybe I'll lay nude and work on my tan." The giant who was walking ahead of them let out a loud chuckle.  
  
"Hey I'm up for it, I should tell you about the time your father, Sirius, and I ran out and jumped into the lake in the middle of December." Harry looked at Remus as if he had grown a second head.  
  
"What would ever posses you to do that?" Remus thought for a moment before he remembered what had caused that particular episode.  
  
"If I recall, Sirius wanted to start a polar bear club. It didn't all go as well as planned though. You see James had recently changed Lily's hair color without her consent. So she summoned our clothes while we went into the lake in retaliation. Let's just say our stock ,as men, plummeted when we came back in out of the cold. It didn't help that the entrance hall was filled when we came in either. Our ego's were shrunken after that, a long with a few other things." Harry started cracking up at the thought of the three in the middle of the hall.  
  
"What do you think will happen when we get to the camp. Do you think the giants will agree to help us?" Harry tied his hood tighter as the wind snapped at his coat.  
  
"Well, it could really go three ways. They could agree to help us, which would be the best out come. I'm not completely convinced they'll agree to that. They could agree to remain neutral, that would still be a good thing. Or, they could have joined with Voldemort. Then they'd probably gut us and eat our entrails." Remus smirked, but Harry could tell that this was something of a concern.  
  
"Oh, as long as they don't do any thing to bad. I mean, being eaten is much better than having to listen to one of Voldemorts' speeches. I think that man bores half his victims to death." Remus chuckled, he admired the way Harry thought of Voldemort. Then, he supposed that after being attacked so many times you develop a sick irony over the whole situation.  
  
The two were interrupted when Torag called a halt. Harry say that the scouts had returned to the main group. He noticed that several of the half giants were readying weapons, though this was disconcerting he had seen them doing this more and more recently.  
  
"The snow has closed off Fenir pass and we'll have to go through The Iudicium. Although the scouts did not see any of the usual troll activity, we must assume that they are their. We'll cross through at full alert." After he was done speaking, he approached Harry and Remus.  
  
"Torag, what is the Iudicium?" Torag got a serious look on his face before answering the question.  
  
"The Iudicium is Latin, it means a trial. Quite literally in that form of the word actually. When someone is accused of a crime, and they claimed innocence, they could be given the chance to undergo the Iudicium. Up ahead there is a path that leads between to of the dominant mountains in the range. All along this path are mountain troll clans. If you made it through alive, you were granted innocence. This didn't happen much, going through alone is almost suicide. The news that there aren't any trolls visible is unsettling. Never has there been no trolls in the pass. I suggest you prepare yourselves." Harry and Remus exchanged uneasy looks, they both set about preparing their weapons.  
  
Harry withdrew his sword and his wand. His thoughts turned to the first time he and Ron had come across a mountain troll. The memory made him smile, but he held no doubts that this wouldn't be easy. Torag gave the order and the group moved out. At first they moved at their normal pace, but after rounding the bend Torag signaled to move slowly.  
  
The path was not how he imagined it, it wasn't narrow at all. The path ran the length of 6 Quidditch pitches and was at least half a pitch wide. The rock faces that boxed them in weren't all that steep, but they were covered in loose rock shale. Hundreds of cave entrances riddled the mountain side, and Harry decided he didn't want to meet what lived in there.  
  
Falling rock to his left caught Harry's attention and he shifted his gaze to watch as a larger chunk of rock slid down the face. The silence was only disturbed by their footsteps as they crunched through the fallen snow that settled in the pass.  
  
Some bird crowed off in the gray distance and Harry could only pray that the bird was the only form of life in the pass. A stench of rotting flesh in the air told Harry that it wouldn't be true. Something had been killed and eaten recently, or the creatures were just that foul smelling.  
  
Large bones of some beast poked through the snow, only reminding him that these trolls were quite capable of killing. Some bones looked to come from animals, others had a decidedly human look to them. Harry shuddered to think how many things met their ends down this path.  
  
With no warning a large red blast of light struck the path in front of the group. Rocks and snow sprayed into the air by the force of the spell, and Harry had to dive to avoid being hit by the spray. All hell broke loose as figures popped out of the caves and began casting spells down at the group of half giants.  
  
"Damn, It's an ambush. ATTACK!" Torag shouted, then he drew a large crossbow and began firing bolts at the offending party. No sooner had the group began to gather and start a defense then a new danger presented itself.  
  
Harry drug himself off the ground and sprinted through the snow to the group of giants who where firing bolts at the figures standing in the troll caves. A bright ball of fire struck at his feet and he was forced to hurl himself forward to avoid being burnt. He hit the ground on his stomach and pointed his wand towards the caves. However before he began to hurl spells his attention was drawn to several figures who were running at the group of defending giants. As they drew closer Harry could begin to make out the beasts who they had fought at the base of the mountains. He realized that the wizards hurling spells were probably responsible for these creatures. Another blast of red fire sailed over his head and he had to return focus to the wizards.  
  
"Contremo!" A brilliant blue light shot from his wand and struck just above the entrance where the wizard who was firing on him was placed. The rocks quaked and began to slid off the edge of the opening. They slammed into the robed wizard who was firing and knocked him forward. He began to roll down the rock face, his body twisting as he gained velocity. Yet Harry had no time to watch him fall. The beast warriors were on them.  
  
Harry heard Remus continue to shout spells at the wizards on the rock face. Brilliant flashes of light jumped from his wand and reeked destruction to the cliff face. Yet the robed wizards were in a much more defensible position. They had stepped out of the mouth of the cave to avoid the mistake that had cost the life of one of their allies.  
  
Harry ran to meet one of the coming beast warriors. The creatures long curved blade struck into his own, but he met it with his full strength. The metal trembled under the force of the blow, and the vibration hurt his hands, but he didn't release his grip. Harry jabbed his wand at the creatures stomach plate and shouted the banishing charm. The force shot the creature off Harry and it fell back to the ground ten feet away. Without thinking Harry ran to the fallen beast and shoved his blade into the heart of the beast.  
  
A fire spell slammed into his back and his bear cloak caught fire. Harry dove to the ground and rolled to put the flame out. As he rolled he noticed the giants were forming two ranks, some kept a steady volley of arrows to suppress the wizards, while others fought the beast warriors.  
  
Harry jumped to his feet after the flame was out and he joined the ranks of the giants who were fighting the warrior beasts. He thrust his sword through the stomach of one beast and watched as it tried to impale it self further on his blade so it could reach him. With all his strength he pulled to the left and watched as his blade slid through the midsection of the beast. It's upper body flopped to the side, while it's insides fell freely to the ground.  
  
Another giant had knocked a beast into a large rock and Harry helped to finish it off by severing it's head while it watched the giant.  
  
A great roar broke his concentration, he watched in horror as the wizards began to charge down the mountain face. His horror wasn't over the wizards, no it was because of the twenty mountain trolls who rushed with them.  
  
"Form ranks, fall back!" Torag knocked one of the beast warriors to the ground, and shouted orders to the rest of the giants. Harry, Remus, Hagrid, and Madame Maxime joined in with the ranks preparing to meet the new attack.  
  
Hagrid and Madame Maxime made a deadly combination. Hagrid fought with club and bow while protecting Madame Maxime. Madame Maxime used magic to fight the oncoming and protect Hagrid. Together they were a force to be reckoned with.  
  
Harry focused on the wizards and the remaining beast warriors, he would let the giants deal with the fast approaching mountain trolls.  
  
A beast warrior attempted to skewer him on it's sword tip, but Harry used a trick Remus had taught him and slid the blade to the side. The creatures momentum carried it forward and Harry cut into the beasts exposed back. If you weren't as strong as your enemy you had to use his strength to your advantage. While he was turned he felt a stabbing pain. A severing charm had glanced off his shoulder and bit deep into his flesh. Without thinking he spun and shouted the same charm he had been hit with. The white light coursed through the air and caught the first caster in the neck. Blood sprayed forward and drenched the now red and black snow.  
  
Harry spun around to look for Remus only to find him being choked from behind. At first Harry wondered why Remus wasn't fighting back, and why he had just dropped his wand and sword. But as the light glanced through the clouds Harry got a look at a silver glint on the man's hand.  
  
In a instant the pain in his shoulder was forgotten. He rushed to aid his friend who was being sneak attacked by the traitor.  
  
"Wormtail, how bout you try your hand at me!" Harry shouted above the roar of battle that floated like a symphony around them. At first the other wizard looked confused, but a smile spread across his twisted face when he recognized Harry.  
  
"AH, Potter! I didn't expect to have the pleasure of meeting you here!" Harry didn't wait for the other man to except his challenge. He just rushed into the attack at full speed.  
  
Wormtail threw the limp form of Remus to the side and charged at Harry. No mercy would be given this time. Wormtail had past the point of reprieve. He had not only been a traitor, but he set Voldemort loose on the world once more.  
  
Harry dodged as Wormtail shot a blinding curse at him and brought his sword towards the short mans face. Wormtail raised his arm and deflected Harry's blow. The metals resounded off each other and Harry stumbled back under the force of the magical hand.  
  
"The Master rewards his servants with power Potter. Now you'll feel that power!" Peter ran towards Harry, but Harry met him with his sword once more. This time Wormtail trapped his Harrys' sword in his metal fist. Harry struggled to free the blade, but Wormtail simply squeezed the blade and shattered it in two. Before Harry could react Wormtail slammed the broken end of the blade into Harrys' already injured shoulder. Harry stumbled backwards, the pain from the limb shooting through his body once more.  
  
"Relax Potter, the next time you open your eyes you'll see the master yourself." Wormtail raised his wand and shouted the stunning spell. Harry used his already weakened state to his advantage and fell backwards. He let gravity pull him out of the curses path.  
  
"Don't count on it!" With all his strength Harry thrust both his feet at Wormtails' knee. A crack and a scream of pain filled the air as the bone broke. Wormtail fell to the ground and pulled himself back against a rock. Harry used his good arm to pull himself off the ground. He took his wand in his good hand and pointed it at Wormtail.  
  
"No mercy this time!" A grin spread across Wormtails face. Harry thought the traitor had finally gone crazy.  
  
"Looks like you'll be to busy to stop me from escaping." Harry didn't have time to look before a arm encircled his chest and lifted him off the ground. He watched as Wormtail used a Portkey to escape, and cursed that the traitor got away. But he was right, the trolls had broken the giants lines and one had grabbed a hold of him.  
  
Harry struggled to turn, and when he did he wished he hadn't. The creature ugly face seemed intent on devouring him hole. It's strong arms gripped Harry tightly and were forcing the air from his chest. Pain scorched his body as he literally heard a rib crack under the pressure. Anger and helplessness coursed through his body as blackness began to overtake his vision. Yet he had to hold on, he used the pain in his shoulder to keep him awake.  
  
A moment of inspiration crossed before his eyes. While the troll brought him closer to bite his head off, Harry reached for the metal stub that protruded from his limb. He grasped the blade and squeezed while ignoring the pain of the blade biting into his fingers. With all his strength he ripped the blade from his shoulder. It's crimson surface slid free and Harry had just enough time to jamb the broken blade into the trolls approaching skull. The bone cracked and the metal shank slid in between the creatures eyes. The eyes rolled back and the creature fell backwards, it's grip on Harry releasing and letting him drop to the ground.  
  
Air filled Harry's lungs and he pushed himself off the ground once more. His wand lay to the side and he stumbled over to it. The wand released sparks when Harry's hand gripped it, his magic already preparing to smite those who stood in his way.  
  
His anger at Wormtail, and his frustration in general surged in him and he stood once more. He watched as Torag rammed a troll with his shoulder and knocked the creature a few steps back. Then Harry shouted with anger and rushed towards the beast.  
  
Torag was surprised when huge balls of fire swept by him. At first he thought one of the wizards was attacking him, but he turned to see the young human running with a fire of his own.  
  
The spells whizzed by the giant and struck the mountain troll. The first impacted his shoulder, then another to his chest. A third slammed into the creatures leg. The fire engulfed the troll and it released a guttural cry of pain. Harry sent a fourth to met the trolls head and finish it off. Then he turned his rage on the next. However the smell of a burned troll seemed to have the same affect as that of burning a rat. The smell of their dead comrade seemed to push the other trolls back. That still didn't stop Harry from releasing shards of ice to impale into them as they retreated.  
  
Seeing that they had lost control over the trolls, the remaining wizards began to Apparate away. Few beast warriors remained, and those that did were quickly cut down by the half giants.  
  
The snow was crimson all around them. The ground was littered with dead trolls, half giants, beast warrior, and even a few wizards. The half giants released a mighty victory cry and shock their weapons in the air. Harry's attention was on Remus who had suffered from Peter's silver hand.  
  
"You OK their Moony?" Remus pushed himself off the ground and collected his wand.  
  
"Yeah, I think so. Werewolves heal fast, the burns should be gone in a night or two." Harry just smiled and then feel to the ground.  
  
"Good, cause then you can help me. Lazy git, sleeping while the rest of us fight." Harry and Remus chuckled, though Remus stopped when he saw that Harry was badly hurt. His bear skin cloak was matted with blood, and a good portion of it was his own.  
  
"You don't look to good kid. Let me take care of that." Harry gave a lopsided grin at his friend.  
  
"Really? I don't look good? Remus I'm deeply offended, I don't point out how badly you look. I even have to see you in the morning. They say my hair is messy in the morning, they should see you. But I think I'll take a bit of a nap right now. Wake me when the world is back in focus." Harry closed his eyes and fell into blackness.  
  
*That night*  
  
When Harry opened his eyes again he was lying in bed. At first he didn't recognize his surroundings, but soon the familiar ceiling of his tent came into focus. He reached for his glasses that sat on a small table beside his bed. The world righted itself when he put them on and he found himself alone.  
  
Pain in his chest and shoulder reminded him of how he came to be in his bed. Harry lifted the blanket to find that his chest and side were well bandaged. He peeled back the wrap on his shoulder to see new flesh growing were there had been a gaping hole. He checked his ribs to find them still bruised but unbroken. His sides were a royal shade of purple, but the pain was manageable.  
  
Smells of cooking food outside the tent drew his attention and his growling stomach alerted him to his hunger. His travel robes were set to the side and he was glad to note that his bear skin cloak had been cleaned and the tear had been mended.  
  
After making sure he was well wrapped Harry stumbled towards the tent entrance. His body protested the action, but his stomach more than urged him on. Outside it was a clear night and the stars sparkled like diamonds in the sky. Voices from the fireside drifted over to him and he took note of the conversation.  
  
"So I kick the troll in the stomach and the thing pukes on the ground. That's when I see Oxgor raising his wand at that cowardly wizard. A troll comes up behind him and grabs him around the chest. It hoists him in the air and starts squeezing him like a grape. I'm about to help him, but I see him rip a chunk of metal out of his shoulder and slam it into the things head. It keeled over like he had kicked it in the balls." Harry recognized the voice of one of the giant's, he was also a little embarrassed that they were talking about him.  
  
Harry rounded the corner and took a seat by the fire. Immediately a hand clapped him on the shoulder, and Harry winced at the pain.  
  
"Oxgor, drink with us and celebrate the day!" A large mug was thrust into his hands, as well as a hunch of meat. For once Harry gave no thought of what he was eating and tore into his food. Luckily the ale seemed to make the pain drift into the back of his mind and he listened as giants recounted tails of the battle. They spoke of fallen comrades and their own victories late into the night.  
  
"Hey Remus, how are you?" Remus had taken a seat next to Harry and had a meal of his own.  
  
"Healing nicely, I told you Werewolves heal quickly." Remus pulled his color down to show Harry that the burn had begun to subside. The skin was now only slightly pink  
  
"How far have we traveled?" Harry couldn't recognize any of the sights around him.  
  
"They say we're only a days journey away from the giants camp. With any luck we should reach it by tomorrow afternoon." Harry smiled, the thought of finely arriving at some type of civilization was very relaxing.  
  
"I feel like I could eat a Hypogriff!" Harry took another bite from his meat. He was quite amused to find he had acquired a taste for ale.  
  
"The healing potion I gave you makes you hungry. Hopefully your shoulder will heal over by morning." The fire danced in the center of the circle, lighting up the faces of the giants. Harry was glad to see their faces, yet it also hurt to see that a few weren't their.  
  
"How many did we lose?" The question hung in the air, it's answer waiting to fall.  
  
"4 died in the battle, one after it was over. Hagrid and Madame Maxime are fine, they've already turned in for the night. That's something that I think you should do." Harry nodded and then took his meat with him back to his tent. It had been a long day, and he was anxious to push on to the next.  
  
The night passed quickly and again the sun rose to greet a sky filled with fresh snow. Harry was glad to note that his shoulder mended well, and his ribs weren't nearly as painful as they had been before. After bundling up once more he set off for what they hoped would be their final day of travel.  
  
The atmosphere had lightened now that they had crossed out of mountain troll country and it showed in the giant's attitudes. No longer did they walk with one hand on a weapon. A optimistic air seemed to lighten their loads and everyone walked with a added spring to their step.  
  
Harry had time to contemplate the attack yesterday. It hadn't been specifically aimed at him because Wormtail hadn't even realized who he was at first. The only conclusion was that Voldemort knew about their attempt at piece with the giants and wanted to stop it.  
  
The beast warriors were another thing that continued to bother Harry. No words could describe them, one had even tried to impale itself further on his blade to get a chance at attacking him. He prayed that the Headmaster had some information on this new enemy. Not to mention the fact that the Death Eaters were able to gain control of several clans of mountain trolls.  
  
Harry felt oddly naked without his sword. Remus had told him that using magic to repair blades never brought them back to their original state of perfection. The metal would forever be flawed unless it was melted and reworked. Torag had told him that he would be able to get a new sword at the giant camp, so Harry wasn't to upset. Still, he had developed a attachment to his first blade.  
  
They had just made break for lunch when the scouts returned to the group. They spoke in private with Torag and then dashed off to his tent. Torag seemed to be greatly disturbed by something, his usually jocular attitude was gone in a second.  
  
"Oxgor, come with me." Harry looked at Remus for permission, and when the man nodded Harry followed. After making sure his wand was ready at a moments notice he rushed down the path Torag had taken.  
  
After following the giants footsteps for a while he came upon the extremely large man lying flat on the ground. He had pulled himself up close to the ridge and seemed confused by what he saw. Harry followed the giants example and crept to the edge of ridge. About a thousand feet below hundreds of figures where streaming through the pass.  
  
"It's the savage, but they never come up here. They aren't even this far north in the winter. Should have already gone back to their winter lodges to the west." Harry watched as the mass of figures seemed to move like a living river through the path.  
  
"There are so many of them!" Torag nodded, he never took his eyes off the half giants below.  
  
"I've never seen so many gathered in one place, something is very wrong." Harry reached in his backpack and pulled out the Omnioculars he had bought the prior year. He watched as they zoomed in to focus on the group below. It was all a mass of moving half giants, except one person who stood still on a rock in the middle of the living river.  
  
He let his Omnioculars focus on this one figure. He had seen this person somewhere before, but he couldn't figure out who he was. Though he was familiar there was something about the man that was totally alien. He stood as a obelisk in the middle of the river of life. Even the savage kept their distance from him. He was some type of island in the middle of their force. But the most disturbing thing were his eyes. They were black as night, almost as if they held the endless reaches of space inside them. Just watching sent shivers up his spine. Color drained from Harry's face when the man looked up at them. He stared at them like they were standing with in reach of his arms.  
  
Harry pulled back from the edge along with Torag. They exchanged looks and then set back off to the group. They both knew that they couldn't afford to wait till after lunch. They had to reach the safety of the giants camp now, before all hope was gone.  
  
Torag gave no excuse for their sudden departure, or for the fact that they had doubled their already grueling pace. Harry explained to Remus, Hagrid, and Madame Maxime what he had seen. More and more it began to look like the giants would be to busy with their own problems to help out. Even though this was depressing, it still came as a great relief when they rounded a bend and the snow just dramatically stopped. The ground wasn't covered ahead of them and Harry got his first look at the giant camp. Off in the distance Harry saw a sight more amazing than the small village where the half giants lived.  
  
Buildings stretched upwards like trees, and giant stone monuments were carved into the mountain walls surrounded them. 15 to twenty foot giants were immortalized in the stone. They depicted scenes of giants grappling and doing battle with beasts. The statues lined the road and led to huge stone gates that stood at least forty feet tall. The walls surrounded the city and Harry could make out massive figures standing as sentries on the walls. The door looked to be made of metal, entirely impregnable unless you were allowed entrance. Torag pulled out a trumpet and gave a mighty blow. A horn in the distance echoed his call, then the gates gave a mighty lurch and swung open.  
  
"Welcome to the Giant City!"  
  
****** (A/N Another chapter done. Thanks to all who reviewed!)  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: Thanks for the review! Oh, and if you thought that was a terrible way to die, wait till you see what Voldemort does in the end of the next chapter. Thanks for the compliment of the summary, I was going for a artistic touch.  
  
BloodRedSword: Thanks for the review!  
  
Otaku freak: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Animagiman: Thanks for the review. And don't worry, the majority of the rest of the chapters are Harry centric. I just had to begin preparing for something that's coming up in a chapter or two.  
  
Sabrina: Yeah, I know the last chap was depressing. I actually started feeling bad for my torture victims. I had to force myself to not save them. We will get to find out who they are, but not for a little bit. Hope you liked the Chapter!  
  
Ariel: Yes, you'll get a little taste of what the master is like next chapter. I actually had to stop in the middle of writing a scene because I began to feel bad. The most disturbing thing is my Voldemort enjoys his work so much it's creepy. Hope you liked the chapter!  
  
Muggle: Thanks for the review!  
  
Naomi SilverWolf: Hope you liked the chapter! Thanks for the review!  
  
Julie Jewelrannah: Thank you very much, I appreciate the comment!  
  
Maxennce: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like the fic. But If I told you the plot then what's the point in reading. I do have some surprises planned though that are coming up.  
  
THANKS AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!! 


	8. Chapter 7: The Drums Begin

Disclaimer: This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none. And this little piggy does not own Harry Potter. So she cried all the way home.  
  
Does anybody read theses, I work hard to come up with creative disclaimers.  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 7: The Drums Begin  
  
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Harry: Part 1 (July 21st Monday)  
  
******  
  
"Who am I...?" Darkness enveloped a small figure who appeared to be no older than 5 years old. The young boy had messy black hair and brilliant green eyes that sparkled in the surrounding darkness like two emeralds catching the last rays of the sun. His small frame was wracked with shivers as a icy wind seemed to pick up from somewhere in the unfathomable distance.  
  
"Unwanted child, cast out of Gods sight to walk in misery." A chorus of voices of all ages seemed to repeat the phrase all around the small boy. They swirled around him coming from all directions, yet seeming to originate from inside his own mind.  
  
"Your a curse of death, bringing pain to all who ever knew you." A distinctly female voice seemed to whisper in the young boys ear. Pain filled the poor souls heart, why wouldn't these voices just leave him alone.  
  
"Your life is constantly bought through the death of others. You live on borrowed time that doesn't belong to you." Why were the voices saying such hurtful things? Tears began to well up in the boys eyes, he tried to curl up into a ball but found he couldn't move.  
  
The darkness seemed to enlarge to provide room for a massive figure standing above the young boy. The figure held sticks in his hands, and wires connected these sticks to something unseen. The man moved the sticks and the boy felt himself compelled to move against his will. Now he could see them, the wires were attached to his own arms and legs.  
  
"Dance my little puppet, do as I say. You can trust me, I would never lead you astray." A kindly voice spoke to the boy, but it lied. The boy could see he was walking to the edge of the cliff, no he was being led there against his will.  
  
"Step lively my puppet, maybe one day you will walk on your own. Yes, you will understand when your older." The boy tried to resist but the man just guided him closer to the cliff. Then ,without a second thought, he was forced to jump off the cliff into the darkness. The wires snapped and he fell into the vast deep.  
  
The boy fell for eternity before he realized he wasn't falling at all. He was in the unfathomable darkness once more. The voices were gone, no more puppeteer to guide him. They had left him alone, just as he knew he would always be in the end.  
  
"I know who I am." The boy stood in the darkness, making his proclamation for no one in particular to here. Yet it was still important that he spoke, if only to reassure himself he had a voice at all. Before the boy could speak hands appeared to silence his sentence.  
  
"We will tell you who you are!" The voices were back, but they no longer spoke individually. It was like everyone who every lived was speaking for him. They proclaimed him many things, so many things that they began to bleed together and press in on him.  
  
"You are the Death bringer, you ride the devils horse bringing death to all around you!"  
  
"You are the Pocked man, cursed to spread disease upon the world!"  
  
"You are the cursed hero, only by your death can the tragic tail end!"  
  
"You are the dark savior, face what we do not wish to see!"  
  
"You are the mule, beast of burden to the worlds pain!"  
  
Now the voices spoke together.  
  
"You are winged death. Fast and lethal, all you touch will fall away in your hands!"  
  
The boy fell to the ground, he couldn't stand the pain anymore. He was slipping away, but no one would answer his calls for help. They had disappeared again, they didn't want him anymore.  
  
"I am God's forsaken child." The boys eyes slipped closed and he disappeared into the darkness once more. The world faded out of existence leaving the darkness alone once more.  
  
******  
  
Harry jumped out of bed, the nightmare fresh in his mind. Where had that come from, what did it mean. When he really thought about it he knew exactly where it had come from. It was a combination of all his fears and pain. It was everything he felt deep inside but would never express. These were his insecurities, things he knew to be true but still refused to except.  
  
For now he had more important things to think about then his own strange dreams. They had arrived at the Giants camp two days ago, and had been confined to their tents from the moment they arrived. Torag had explained that it would be necessary for the giants to arrange a proper meeting to decide if they'd even want to hear what the group wanted to say. Till a decision was reached they would be confined to their tents.  
  
Torag had dropped by repeatedly to discuss what was happening. Apparently, his wasn't the only tribe to have a run in with the savage. Refugee's from many of the half giant camps had been pouring in like a river for several days now. Still, Torag promised that there would be a chance to speak soon.  
  
The little of the city Harry got to see was quite impressive. The outer wall encircled almost the entire area hidden above the magical storm that protected the mountain. Buildings stretched higher than Harry could imagine, and he felt rather like a dwarf in a human house in comparison. Similar structures to that of Torags camp were also spaced through the city, though the ones in the city tended to be more lavishly done.  
  
Harrys' traveling compatriots weren't looking to good. The longer they were forced to wait the more nervous they seemed to become over the ordeal they faced ahead of them. Harry actually felt a bit at ease over it, all he had to do was answer questions under a truth potion. It wasn't like he was going to have to deal with a dragon or anything.  
  
If anything this break from travel was what Harry really needed. It gave him a chance to finish up some of the studies he had been working on during the trip. He was making a lot of progress in Apparition and the list of curses he could through had been growing exponentially. Since his sword was currently busted he was forced to read books on various forms of sword play. Some of the styles were quite unique and He was beginning to combine different aspects to pick something that suited him especially.  
  
A knock on the tent flap drew Harry out of reading one such book. Remus rose from a chair in the small kitchenette and answered the flap. Torag stuck his head into the flap, presenting a very interesting picture when Harry thought of it. Here was a giant, who from the outside was a lot bigger than the tent, that could now crawl into the tent and fit comfortably. This would definitely be odd for any non magic person if they were to ever happen across the scene of a half giant crawling into a small tent and then disappearing inside.  
  
"The council is convening in 20 minutes. You are to prepare yourselves to present before them immediately. I will wait outside and escort you to the Hall of Elders where you will be heard." Torags head disappeared from the entrance and Harry was struck by the weight of the half giant's words. After waiting so long it had happened just like that, they would be seen in twenty minutes. The nerves that everyone had been feeling flooded into his stomach and he had a hard time convincing himself of his own prior thoughts.  
  
Remus instructed Harry to put on one of his battle robes, as they would be appropriate concerning their business. The fact that they were some of his only robes that weren't worn from travel also helped. Harry dawned a pair a crimson battle robes that cut off around his shoulders to allow his arms to be free. Remus gave Harry a pair of black gloves that ran all the way up to the elbows. Metal plates ran across the outside of his arm in horizontal lines, they ran from the end of the gloves all the way down to his wrist. One metal triangular plate was fastened to the back of his hands. A split in the robes just around mid thigh separated the fabric and allowed greater movement in his legs. Remus also gave him black leather boots that ran half way up to his kneecap and were platted in a similar way to his gloves. He also gave him a holster for his wand that hooked onto the underside of his gloves and allowed the wand free to slid into his hand. Altogether Harry looked ready to go into battle against anyone who dared challenge him.  
  
"All right I guess we're ready as we'll ever be." Harry and the rest stepped out of the tent and were overtaken with a sight they hadn't expected. The city was teaming with half giants of all sizes. Torag had told them of the migration but they hadn't thought it would be of this size. It was overwhelming to be surrounded by so many figures who were so much taller than you.  
  
They made their way through the city of giant stone building and approached one in the very center of the city that was giant even under giant standards. The entrance looked similar to that of Gringotts, with one large front door that lead into the main building. When they approached they saw true 16 foot tall giants holding massive chains that were attached to the door. The giants pulled on the metal chains and the door groaned as it was forced open. Inside was one big hall, where the ceiling was so high that it was clouded by shadows. The shadows gave it the appearance of a vast empty eternity, and Harry was reminded of his dream. Shaking off the sadness that his dream brought he forced his attention to the rest of the room. On either side of the room were seats that went up like a stadium. Giants and Half giants crowded everywhere in the room to get a look at the humans who had come to speak with them. At the front of the room sat five giants, they were well off the floor of the hall behind what was similar to a Muggle courtrooms judges box.  
  
"Approach humans, but know you tread in dangerous waters." A male giant of indeterminate age beckoned them to the front of the room. Torches that blazed with flames the size of bonfires provided light along the way and illuminated into the room. As they reached the center Harry recognized three male and two female giants sat to judge them.  
  
"Speak now, tell us why you have dared come here. Know that your words could determine your own fates." Harry wasn't sure if their case had been decided before they even entered the room. Were the giants just going through motions before they made a predetermined decision.  
  
"I, Hagrid come before ye' with a request." Harry had heard Hagrid practice his speech for the past two days. The half giant was so stressed at proving himself before Dumbledore that he hadn't slept at all.  
  
"I bring word tha' You know who has risen' again." A murmur rose through the assembly and the giant in the center of the room had to call for order before Hagrid could continue.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, would like ter make a treaty fer the times ahead." A murmur once more arose throughout the assemblage and the lead judge once more had to quiet them.  
  
"What proof do we have that there is any validity to this. The humans lie and the have turned on us before." Hagrid summoned Harry to his side. Harry wasn't sure this was such a good idea anymore. He was ready to call the whole thing off, maybe wait another day or two.  
  
"I brung one who was ther' and with a truth potion he'll tell yah wha' he saw." Remus walked to Harry's side and pulled out the small vile Dumbledore had given him. Harry took one nervous look at everyone who was now looking at him and then swallowed the contents.  
  
Instead of allowing Hagrid to question Harry the giants did it themselves. They asked about the events leading up to Voldemort's rise, then about the rise itself. The giant's questioned him about the ceremony used to raise the Voldemort. They seemed quite interested in the part Harry himself played in the ritual, and how he had escaped afterwards. After twenty minutes Harry began to feel the effects of the potion slip away.  
  
"I think the potion is stopping now." He voiced his thoughts and the Giants turned back to Hagrid. A murmur was still circulating through the room after his testimony. Some spoke of his escape, and the impossibility that anyone could escape Voldemort. But he also heard replies from some of the Half giants he had meet. Some spoke of his ferocity in battle, and how they could easily see him fighting against overwhelming odds. Harry couldn't help but inwardly smile that he had at last brought some to his side. The giant hushed the room and began to speak.  
  
"The matter still remains that your own ministry does not believe in the return of the evil one. Why should we help you when your own government refuses to help. You base your entire case around a boy, a human boy at that. Humans have no honor therefore who cares what they say." Harry couldn't believe his ears. He had been right before, the Giants had long ago made their decision. They weren't even going to consider what he had said.  
  
"Therefore, I am forced to make a decision on a claim that has no merit at all." No, he couldn't let it end this way. He came so far to tell them, so far to ask for help and they had decided before they even reached their destination. He had to say something.  
  
"So, it is a unanimous decision by all five high councilors of the giant empire." Say something now damn it, before it's to late. Say something, don't let the moment slip away. You swore to yourself, say something for the love of God.  
  
"Our decision is to .." This is it now or never. I refuse to die a coward!!!!!  
  
"NO!!!!!!" Harry's scream brought the attention of the whole room to him. The head judge stopped speaking and brought her attention to the boy who stood before them.  
  
"How dare you speak in our presence. You are human and have no honor in this court room. You may not speak." She quieted when someone stepped out of the auditiorium seats. A tall half giant walked to the side of the young human boy, and for a second Harry thought he had drank his last butter beer.  
  
"Torag, what business do you have in this matter that you have stepped forward. Do not sully your good name with this human filth." Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but his relief turned when he thought of what Torag would say.  
  
"This human has more honor than many I have known in the past. He has fought with the spirit of a giant in the past, and in my eyes he is one of my own kind. He is man enough to fight with honor, and he is honorable enough to speak his mind in this court room. I extend my clans honor on his behalf." A loud murmur struck up in the court room once more. Even the judges seemed surprised that a leader would risk the honor of his clan on a human.  
  
"Torag, you understand the implications of your actions." The half giant nodded, and then took his seat once more.  
  
"The matter is mute anyway. We have reached our decision and we will pronounce it." Harry was still fighting with himself. Emotions raged inside him, but the one that took most note was disappointment. Not disappointment over the decision, but in the state of these living beings. They were as bad as Fudge, refusing to believe what had been set before them. Harry immediately understood the disappointment Dumbledore had in Fudge when they parted.  
  
"Fine, you have reached your decision. That I understand, but if I don't speak my mind I will regret it for the rest of my life. I stand before you today offering a hand of friendship, yet you stand on the same prejudiced grudges you say my people hold. By coming here we asked you to rise above those grudges of the past. We ask you to unite not as giants and humans, but as people who know what's right and are willing to defend it. Instead you sink to the level of those you say have no honor. You ignore the truth because you think it doesn't concern you. Your wrong, it does concern you whether you admit it or not. A war brews in the future and all present know it, hide all you like it still comes. One day you will be forced to choose sides in this war. We won't force you to, but Voldemort will. When that day comes I'll be there standing on the same battlefield, only we won't be standing side by side. We will stand as enemy's and as much as I beg you now to join with us, I will show no mercy that day." Harry turned his back on the council and began to walk out of the hall. He had said his peace, but still he felt he had to make one more effort. At the doors he stopped and turned his head around.  
  
"I beg you once more to consider what has been said here today. Even if you reach the same decision at least consider it. You are deciding more than a answer to a few travelers who have come before you. You decide the fate of your children, and your children's children. You decide what type of world you want them to grow up in, and you decide the example you set for them." Harry stepped out of the slightly opened doors and broke into a run. He couldn't stay their any longer he had to leave before the emotions inside him broke him down.  
  
An hour later found the young boy sitting with his feet dangling over the large wall that surrounded the city. He was just staring into the blue skies and snow tipped mountains around them. A resignation had settled somewhere inside him. The people he had traveled with as friends could soon be his enemies. He would have to fight them the same way he had fought the savage. Those who he had laughed with would be on the other end of his sword. Just like his dream had told him, he brought death to all those around him. He was the boy who God cast out, forced to fight and kill all his life. A angel of death that lay a trail of tears and blood where ever he went.  
  
"Quite a view isn't it? Sometime I wonder if I'd prefer to live her than further down the mountain." Harry turned to see Torag standing behind him. Guilt clouded into his mind over what he had said. Torag had offered his honor, and he had basically threatened to kill all those in the room.  
  
"I'm sorry for what I said, I should of thought about what it meant to you." Torag looked at him appraisingly, the giant couldn't help but notice the way the boy always thought of others before himself. He wasn't concerned what the giants would do to him. No he was worried about breaking the trust that was placed in him.  
  
"You spoke with your heart and your words were true. If you backed out on them it would be a breach of honor, but I believe you will hold true to what you said. If the council does decide to not enter into a alliance then I have utmost faith that you would stand firm to your words. I would even pity those who stood against you." Torags words reassured Harry, but something was off about them. Hadn't the council already reached it's decision.  
  
"But I thought they already decided to ignore the threat." Torag smiled for the first time, his smile reminding Harry of Hagrid.  
  
"If your words did anything, it was to break up the order in the room. A recess was called and the decision is to be passed when they reconvene. That's why I came actually, they asked that you be summoned back to the hall." Harry nodded and brought his feet back over the battlements. All he had managed to do was piss off a whole bunch of giants. They sent him on a mission of peace and all he did was threaten to kill them all. At least he found something he wasn't good at, he definitely didn't have skills as a ambassador.  
  
Harry reentered the courtroom and made his way back up to where Remus, Hagrid, and Madame Maxime were standing. The two men looked down at Harry and he was hesitant to meet their gazes. When he did he was shocked to see what he found, no sadness or anger marred their face. Pride sparkled in both their eyes, they were proud of him for what he had done. Not that it really mattered to him at the moment, he had said the words because that was how he felt. Even if they were disappointed in him, he would have stood by his actions.  
  
The five giants walked back into the room and took a seat at the high table. This was it, from this moment on he would have to look at them as potential enemies. The head of the council called for order and a hush fell over the room.  
  
"During the past hundred years much blood has been spilled between our people. In the end we were forced to leave some of our homes and travel here. But that is what it must now remain. The past hundred years are simply that, the past. Come forward." The Giant made a motion to the side and a sixth giant walked into the room. The giant was some 18 feet tall and carried something in his hands. His palms were face up and resting across them was the blade of a sword. The metal blade of the sword was five feet long and had a hilt that ran a little more than a half a foot. The Giant didn't dare touch the hilt and carried the sword like it was something sacred. The Giant walked before the group and lowered himself so that the blade was at their level.  
  
"Young human, you have spoken with more honor than I have heard in many years. Perhaps today may bring hope between our two races. Do you accept." At first Harry was shocked to have the council leader speaking to him like this. Then he just nodded.  
  
"Than take the blade called Rage and may their be honor in how ever you wield it." Harry wasn't sure if he could even swing the sword much less wield it, but he recognized what was happening and reached out to take the hilt. All the while a murmur began to run through the assembly at what was happening. They spoke like there was something more to this ceremony than meets the eye.  
  
Harry took the hilt of the sword and used all the strength in his body to lift the blade that was as long as he was tall off the giants arms. The metal was three times thicker than any normal sword, and it showed it in the weight. Still Harry managed to lift the blade off the giants arms.  
  
"The task has been accepted, you will now be our voice wherever you go. Speak well, and speak with honor in your world where we cannot travel. Our strength is yours in battle, use the trust well. Do all in the best interest of those who you represent, it is in your hands now." This was to much, he hadn't expected the giants to ally. Now he was their representative, this was just more responsibility. More voices to tell him what he was, more hands stopping him from declaring himself.  
  
"This has been agreed by all members of the council. The task has been accepted, speak now council is he worthy." The five giants rose before Harry had a chance to object to the arrangement. What could he saw anyway, he accepted a task he had no business taking. He engaged in a ceremony he didn't know the meaning of. The giants spoke starting on the left.  
  
"I, Huro Vemar, of the Stone Wash Giants find him worthy. In your sword rests the spirit of my clan, may your enemies be ours." The giant turned and left the room through a door at the back of the hall.  
  
"I, Vesta Tenave, of the White Hammer Giants find him worthy. May all quake at your might, and may all deeds be filled with honor." The giantess rose and followed the same path.  
  
"I, Coran Fellor, of the High Peak Giants find him worthy. Let yours deeds be worthy of tales that will be told through out time." The giant turned and left with the other two.  
  
"I, Fridwulfa Hemor, of the Stone Club Giants find him worthy. May you guide those you take to battle well, and may victory not be far behind your steps." Harry turned to see Hagrid, the half giants face had fallen. He had turned whiter than when he was being sent to Azkaban. Harrys' mind rushed to find the cause, then it turned to the article posted last year. Could this giantess be his mother.  
  
"I, First Speaker Gorel Revan, of the Red Blood Giants find him worthy. May your deeds carry as much weight as your words have today." The head judge stepped down from the table and left the room.  
  
Harrys' mind began to swirl, this was to much to fast. He needed air and he needed it fast. He had to get out of the council now, but where would he go? He had to get back to the battlements and think, clear his head. He had to find the solution, give the responsibility back and tell them it had been a mistake.  
  
The boy left the hall in a whirl. He hadn't even noticed that he left the sword back in the chamber. Soon he was sitting with his feet dangling over the edge once more. The world was closing in on him again, forcing his hands in directions he didn't want to go. Adding more strings of responsibility to a puppet that was already tied down.  
  
"I thought I'd find you here again. You left this back in the hall, I promised your friends I would find you and bring it to you." Harry turned to see Torag was holding the long sword by the blade like the first giant had.  
  
"What have I gotten myself into. I didn't know I was excepting all this, I don't think I can handle this. God, I feel so trapped." Torag dropped the sword at Harrys' feet and then looked at the boy. For the first time Harry was surprised to see a scowl on the mans face.  
  
"What do you want me to say, you don't have to take it. It's your responsibility now, so own up to it. Don't give me any of this unworthy crap, because I know you can do it." Harry just shock his head, who was this giant to tell him what to do. Just another voice in his head.  
  
"You don't know how the hell I feel, don't tell me what I can and can't do. God, I'm just so sick of this. When can people just let me make my own decisions, I'm tired of all these ropes pulling me along." Torag looked at the boy confusedly and then realized what was bothering him. The boy wanted control of his own life, and he thought this was just going to be another thing taking that away.  
  
"Fine, you want control of your life. Cut the damn strings! You've been given a weapon and power of your own, so use it. The council didn't choose your friends to speak for and lead the giant army, they choose you. In the end it's you who is to decide if we are to attack. We aren't excepted out on our own, so we chose you to be our eyes and ears. It's up to you to act on what you see, not even your head master can choose this. So I say again, take the sword and cut your own damn strings." Harry looked at the giant he had come to trust. He knew he couldn't cut all the strings, their were still things that were being kept from him. Still things that were used to control him, and they might always be their. However this was power of his own, this was a chance to let him have the final say in something.  
  
"So be it." Harry took the sword from the ground and did his best to lift the awkward blade. Torag watched him and then laughed.  
  
"I think you need to put a little more muscle on before you'll be wielding that. No matter, just lifting Rage will build your muscles." Harry thought of the swords name, Rage, it was fitting for such a sword. He definitely needed to practice with the blade. It would require a lot of work to be able to have quick and powerful strokes with such a huge blade. But if there was one thing Harry wasn't afraid of, it was hard work.  
  
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Harry, Part 2a (August 14th Thursday) (A/N All these dates get confusing don't they.)  
  
******  
  
Since the great council Harry had found himself very busy. He had been so busy that he had forgotten his birthday, which is understandable considering how important the day was in the past. He had to immerse himself in the culture so that he could understand what his position now entailed. A flurry of military activity had swept over the giant camp for the past few weeks. Signs that the giants were preparing for war were everywhere, and due to his position Harry was getting hands on experience.  
  
Rage had never left his back since Harry had gotten the sword. He now wore his battle robes everyday and the addition of the sword seemed to complete his attire. A interesting sheath was designed for the blade so that Harry could wear it on his back. Since it would be to hard for him to withdraw the blade from a fully sealed sheath they had created one to suit his needs. A loop of leather was designed so that the blade would slide all the way down to the hilt. Then a strap was attached so that Harry could fasten the blade to his back. In order to keep the blade from swinging freely a cord was attached to the loop that ran to the other end of the blade. A small leather pocket was attached at the other end of the cord so that the tip of the blade slid into the pocket. Thus the blade was secured, but could easily be drawn in a arcing motion instead of having to lift it out of the sheath.  
  
The added weight of the blade was at first a bit awkward for Harry, but he soon got used to it. He had to practice swinging the blade to develop the strength he would need to put behind his blows. In the morning Harry would run in the mountains and swing his sword in slicing motions so that he could build up his strength. Through the weeks Harry began to develop the strength needed to wield such a massive blade. Remus had even found it hard to counter Harrys blows and was forced onto the defensive when they practiced. Mostly Harry practiced on his own though.  
  
Harry's dreams had continued, and they only got more weird. They had begun to bring Harry a morbid outlook on his life. Whispers in his ears told him he lived through the death of others. Voices told him he was a cast out, forced down the path of death. Looking around him and knowing that he would one day be leading these people to their deaths did nothing to reassure him.  
  
More and more half giants moved higher into the mountains, they had set up camps in the upper reaches of the mountain. Reports rolled in on moving savage all over the mountains, it almost seemed that another war was being prepared. Now communications were running throughout all the half giant camps and a unspoken alliance was formed to fight off the threat.  
  
Through this all Harry had begun to learn the lessons of leadership. Invaluable tools that would help him through out the future. Skills that he would be called to use sooner than he could expect. Torag and Remus had been invaluable sources of help recently. They had offered him information on historical battles and how to deploy troops. All together Harry was getting a crash course in strategy.  
  
Doubts still raged in his mind about whether he could handle this. Torag had told him that he was chosen not because of his skill, but because of his conviction. Passion was something that all giants valued and Harry had shown his worth. He was chosen because he would be a true representative of the giants wishes. Still, doubts would surface themselves here and their.  
  
Life continued over the weeks in the mountains, and thoughts of the outside world sometimes crept into Harry's mind. Harry lay on a warm stone basking in the sun. He held Rage with both hands on the hilt and pointed the blade straight up to the sky. He seemed destined to have to walk by the blade and wand. His muscles burned from holding the blade fully extended and upright for so long.  
  
"Who am I?" He spoke to no one in particular, just asking a question that ran through his mind constantly now. Sometimes he wished the boy in his dreams would get to answer that question. To tell the truth he wasn't even sure he had the answer. Other questions burned in his heart, some so painful he didn't dare voice. Like how many lives can you take before God no longer wants to look at you? Had he already crossed the line, or was just one enough? Maybe their really was no God, if their was how could he be left to suffer so long? Was he really Gods unwanted child? Was he just some walking bearer of death, destined to kill all those around him? If so, then why bother fighting it, maybe he should just give in and kill the voice in the back of his head.  
  
Harry lay the blade down at his side and closed his eyes. He would let the dream come again, maybe this time he could learn who he was. But the dream didn't come, instead of the dream he got a nightmare.  
  
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Snape, (August 14th Thursday)  
  
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Weeks had gone by since Severus had sat at the table of the Dark Lord. He hadn't been summoned for so long that he had begun to think Voldemort had become aware of what he was doing. That's the price of being a spy though, you were always in danger of your next meeting being your last. Not that Severus was fearful of death, in fact he almost welcomed it. No he wasn't suicidal or anything, just tired of having to live with so much blood on his hands. Each time he wore this mask the blood only got thicker, growing heavier until he didn't know if he could stand anymore. Still, he managed to shoulder his burden once more to come here.  
  
Severus didn't know to much about what the Dark Lord was up to. He had found out that there had been a ceremony of some sorts at the beginning of the summer, but the results of it were still a mystery. Entire levels of the castle were reserved for only those who attended the ceremony and Snape was left to speculate what was on those floors. No one was allowed to speak of the ceremony itself, but the Dark Lord had announced that a surprise would be revealed soon enough.  
  
Lucius had informed him that the Dark Lord had a steady stream of the unknown victims coming into the castle. He had killed 19 of them since the last time Snape had been allowed into Voldemort's private chamber. Now he was sitting at the Dark Lords dinner table along with Malfoy and Pettigrew.  
  
Severus wasn't entirely sure why Pettigrew was kept so close to the Dark Lord. The man was a liability concerning keeping the rebirth a secret. Not to mention that Black, Potter, or Lupin would kill to get a chance to rip into the man. He was a pathetic wizard who could be compared to the buffoon Longbottom. Still, it was smart to surround yourself with some followers who couldn't think for themselves. Pettigrew now has to rely on the Dark Lord entirely, he could never show his face again. The man was just a step above a slave.  
  
The Dark Lord stepped into the room and Severus was forced to suppress a shudder. Voldemort disgusted him, and the man only served a reminder that he once idealized this kind of person. The thought that he had sunk so low to bend and kiss this trashes feet was pathetic. He had killed and lost his chance at a future in the name of this half blood who proclaimed full blood rights.  
  
"I have had a feast prepared in honor of this day. After so long I have taken another step towards my goal. I now have the information to proceed in my quest. To think, all I had to do was offer one of them a chance to live and return to their family." Severus raised a eyebrow, the Dark Lord never allowed one of his prisoners freedom. The only way a prisoner left the Dark Lord was when they were dead. Even then some are never allowed to leave, Severus sometimes wondered what this monster had used the bodies for.  
  
"We will discuss prior business while the meal is prepared. Wormtail, I trust the emissaries to the giants have been taken care of?" The Dark Lord seemed to be in a good mood, still the sadistic smile that quirked on the Dark Lords face could draw fear into anyone. Severus noted that the coward had begun to shake a bit. The fool should have realized by now that you never show fear in the presence of a predator. It only urges them to attack. The news that the Dark Lord had sent men to ambush the emissaries was a shock to him though. They had not heard from the group since they had left, and would not hear from them until they returned in a few weeks. Dumbledore had not told him to much about this mission, no one really knew what the others were doing. It was important to keep their hand as guarded as possible.  
  
"Sir.. it didn't go as well as hoped. A advance party tipped them off to our presence and by the time we caught up with them they were in the company of half giants. We were forced to take control of several trolls in the area, but their numbers were to great." The Dark Lords face darkened and his gaze turned icy.  
  
"You have nothing of use to report, I sent you with 20 and you could not stop them. Even with the help of trolls you couldn't stop a small party. Had they evaded you I might have been more understanding, but you lost in open combat." Wormtail paled as the Dark Lord stood from his seat.  
  
"I can tell you who was sent though master, and I do have a little useful information. Along with the half giants you had predicted others were sent. Lupin and Potter were along with them. Together with the half giants we were unable to overcome them. Potter is becoming quite skilled my Lord, both in magic and with the blade. He managed to kill several out of our number. The half giants were well trained, and fought off the mountain trolls as well as the soldiers you sent with me. I injured both Lupin and Potter in the battle sir, and had I just a few more men we would have won the day." Severus was plainly shocked that Dumbledore would send the precious Potter off into battle. The fact that the boy was growing in power was not as surprising, but that he would be away from protection was. Perhaps the cocky boy would grow up during the summer, Snape knew to well how battle forced a person to grow up. It had changed him when he had first killed, and he had no doubt it would have some effect on the self righteous Gryffindor.  
  
"I don't want your excuses, your mission was a failure. The fact that Dumbledore would send Potter into danger is surprising, but it is not worth investing men to find this out. Beware Wormtail, if the boy doesn't one day kill you I will." Wormtail was white when he sat back down.  
  
"Now gentlemen, let me tell you something interesting. Pay attention Pettigrew, this applies especially to you." Pettigrew sat forward in his chair to give his rapt attention.  
  
"I happen to come across a Chinese restaurant one day and they had one of the most interesting ways of preparing food. I simply had to try it myself so I had the house elves prepare something special to commemorate the day. You see what they would do is scale, gut, and cook a fish, but the interesting thing is they would do it all while still keeping the fish alive. So in honor of the delightful Chinese wizard who told me what I wanted to know we will eat in this style tonight." Voldemort rang a bell and the house elves pushed a long metal table into the room. A sheet covered the meal, but the smell of cooked meat wafted in the air.  
  
Voldemort walked over to the table and pulled off the sheet to reveal a sight that would haunt even Lucius Malfoy's nightmares. On the table lay a short naked Asian man. His stomach had been hollowed out and some type of soupy broth had been placed in his empty stomach cavity. Fruit and bread lay against his sides and on his slowly rising and falling chest. Severus suppressed vomit that was rising in his throat when he realized the man was still alive. He was still clearly breathing and Severus was sure he could see his heart beat in the mans reddened chest. The man gave a moan and Severus almost lost it right there. He could see that Lucius was in a similar position where he was standing.  
  
"I said I'd let you live didn't I, and I'll be sure to send the left- overs home to your family" The Dark Lord spoke as he took a roll and dipped it into the soup in the mans stomach before slurping the juices. The Dark Lord took out a bowl and filled it with the broth, then he proceeded to carve a hunk of meat off the calve muscle and place it in his soup.  
  
At this point Severus did get a mouthful of vomit and had to force himself to swallow it once more. This was beyond torture, this was just sick. The Dark Lord bent down closer to the body, and licked the sticky fruit juices off the mans chest.  
  
Severus watched in disgust as the Dark Lord ate his meal. The man continued to moan on the table. Then he gave a shuddered breath and screamed with whatever he had left in him. The Dark Lord took his fork and stabbed it into the mans screaming mouth. He impaled the tongue and pulled it taught out of his mouth. Then he bent forward and bit it out of the mans mouth.  
  
"See what you did now, food should be seen and not heard. You completely made me loose my appetite. Oh well, we'll just have to have the house elves put you in a doggie bag. I'm sure your family will appreciate the meal, you were so concerned about them starving without you." The Dark Lord smiled with blood on his chin as the house elves pushed the mans body out of the room.  
  
"Now, on to business. Our dinner guest tonight informed me of the location of a object that I want badly. The map is currently residing in the depths of the Dwarves city known as Tavin's Hall. The mountain stronghold is nearly impregnable and once they shut their gates we will need spell batteries to force them out. So, we are going to attack and lay siege to their city. Lucius, you will be in charge of the attack, as I have other more pressing business to attend to. The battle will be in two days, I expect Dumbledore to be there along with who ever he can drag up. Severus, what is Dumbledore's current status?" Severus was shocked that the Dark Lord was prepared to make a large scale attack so soon. Where had he gotten the recruits to pull off a siege? He had seen evidence that the Dark Lord was amassing spell batteries and other heavy war weapons, but nothing on this scale. Severus had personally examined the 8 foot long crystals that were used like Muggle cannons in battle. The large crystals were very thick at one end and cut down to a tiny tip on the other. They were definitely military grade, and spells that were fired into them at the larger end would be amplified 10 fold. Still even with such weapons it would be difficult to gain so many troupes to operate them.  
  
"I know he is attempting to gather a defense force, but he only tells me what is necessary. I'm not sure how much he actually trusts me, but I know little about the missions and those he sent on them." Severus had filled his sentence with half truths. It was always best to include some truth when dealing with the Dark Lord.  
  
"Very well, you may leave and return to Hogwarts. Be unavailable for the battle in two days." Severus nodded and rose to leave. He had much to do if Dumbledore would be prepared to deal with such a threat in two days. Voldemort and Lucius remained in the room.  
  
"Lucius, gather the troops. We leave tonight to begin the siege." Lucius looked confusedly at the Dark Lord.  
  
"I thought you said the battle won't be for two days my Lord?" The Dark Lord just shock his head in disgust.  
  
"No, I don't expect Dumbledore to be able to raise a resistance for another two days. When he does we will battle, but by then he will be facing a deeply entrenched enemy. We leave tonight! Three hundred warriors are prepared to move already for this particular battle. I have 30 wizards already prepared to operate the spell batteries. I will go with you till the battle begins, then I must attend to other matters." Lucius bowed before his master.  
  
"Thank you for entrusting me with such a task sir. I will carry out your orders my Lord." The Dark Lord took a step to distance himself from the pathetic groveling man.  
  
"See to it that you do, or you might just be joining me for dinner next time." With that said the Dark Lord left the room to prepare for the first attack that evening. Somewhere across the mountains a young man awoke from a dream. He to had much to prepare.  
  
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Harry Part b (August 14th, Thursday)  
  
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Harry awoke from his dream with a vague recollection of what happened. As he focused on the memories things began to bleed back together. Pieces slowly moved together like in a puzzle to form a picture. One thing that wasn't vague was the impending sense of doom, something was going to happen and he had to do something about it.  
  
It struck him like a bolt of lightning, Dumbledore was walking into a trap. Severus had no real picture of what the battle would entail, nor did he know about the sheer numbers they would be facing. Harry searched his mind for a way to contact Dumbledore to give him more information on what he would be facing, but he came up dry. There was no way to warn the wise wizard of the situation before hand.  
  
Harry sheathed his blade and began a sprint back to the city, he had to find a way to at least warn Dumbledore of the enemy's strength. Harry moved quickly over the loose shale rock and sprung over crevices. It had taken awhile to return his agility with the addition of the huge blade, but he had returned to his normal speed.  
  
Instead of rushing into the city in a disarray Harry took a moment to assemble himself. One of the first things he had learned is that you must always appear to have complete control. Even if the world is crashing down in a hail of spells and arrows you must be calm. Those around you look to you as a indestructible pillar. On the inside you could be plagued with worry, but on the outside you must have control above all those around you.  
  
So after making sure his battle robes were straightened and his wand was attached to his glove Harry entered the city. First of all he needed a plan, he'd need to consult someone who could either get a message out or some other form of communication. Though he was technically in a position of authority amongst the Full blooded giants, he had noticed that he wasn't respected. So Harry would have to speak with a half giant. Luckily Torag had just rounded the corner and the two had almost run into each other.  
  
"Torag, could I happen to have your ear for a moment?" His half giant friend smiled at him and the two walked into a small pub on the left. One thing Harry enjoyed about the city was that you couldn't go ten feet without running into a pub. Not to mention that the mugs the half giants used were sippy cups compared to the kegs the full blooded giants drank out of. For a second Harry was diverted to ponder if he was developing to fond a liking of the dry ale the giants served.  
  
"So how can I help you Oxgor? I was planning to help settle a camp to the south and I didn't expect to see you so soon. Lucky you caught me before I left." Harry took a deep sip from the almost barrel like container set before him than he gathered his thoughts.  
  
"I was wondering how I could get a message to those off the mountains?" The giant gave Harry a questioning look and then answered his question.  
  
"You know there is no way to send word to the outside world. Maybe after relationships between giants and humans improve, but for now we have to send messengers to the small wizarding villages just before the forests." It was what Harry had feared, their would be no way to get word to Dumbledore about the danger he was walking into.  
  
"You don't happen to know where Tavin's Hall is?" A strange look came across the giants face, than he to ordered a ale.  
  
"What would you be wanting to deal with those silly dwarves for? Strange creatures, always doodling inside their mountain. Not bad when it comes to making weapons though." The fact that Torag knew of the Dwarves was a promising thing. Perhaps the Dwarves were close enough to take a message to.  
  
"I just had something that has to be taken to my headmaster." Harry wasn't so sure what the half giant would think if he told him the truth. I had a dream and in it Voldemort attacked the dwarfs. Yeah that sounded real sane.  
  
"Well, the Dwarves are a day journey to the south. I suppose if you pressed you could make it there quicker. Still, I don't think they'll communicate with the wizards either. Those dwarves like to keep to themselves." It was already settled in his mind, a plan had been laid into it's foundation. Now he had to tell Remus of what he had planned. If he couldn't send word to the Headmaster or reach the dwarves in time he would have to prepare a surprise of his own. He would have to muster and march a force to the dwarven underground city in a bid to stop Voldemort.  
  
Harry bid goodbye to Torag and then walked off to find Remus. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the extremely large ale had done nothing to dull his senses. They would be needed to convince Remus to march with him.  
  
The tents were set up in the same place they had been in for the past three weeks. Even though they had been accepted into the city, they hadn't been provided lodging. Harry tried his tent first and found Remus sitting at the table.  
  
"Hey Moony, I got a bit of a problem and I was wondering if you'd like to help me solve it." Harry put on his most charismatic smile and hoped to pull the werewolf in before he asked to many questions.  
  
"I don't like the looks of that smile, let's hear what's up before I promise." Harry thought carefully to himself before continuing. He had already decided that he would go no matter what Remus said. He couldn't sit around while Dumbledore walked into a trap. So Harry explained the situation in it's entirety to his friend. Remus didn't look to happy, especially when Harry told him he planned to lead a force to the battle.  
  
"Harry, I don't know if this is smart. Dumbledore said to stay put until he sent a port key at the end of the summer. The idea was to keep you out of trouble not put you into the middle of it." Harry's face turned darker, he definitely wasn't backing down this time.  
  
"Yeah and that went real well didn't it! We've had to fight our entire way here. I'm not going to just sit back and wait like a good boy." Harry slammed his fist down on the table.  
  
"Now Harry, Dumbledore knows what he's doing. It's best that we just wait here." Harry scowled and turned his head back towards the door. He had really hoped that his friend would march with him.  
  
"I wasn't asking for your permission Remus. I'm going to be leading a force to fight at Tavin's Hall, I just would have preferred having you there. If you don't march with me than I will march alone." Remus just shock his head, and Harry left the tent. His next stop was the millitary barracks, the sooner they marched the sooner they could reach the Dwarves.  
  
Harry walked into the training hall and found Torag waiting for him at the entrance. Harry gave the half giant a questioning look and the man walked over to his side.  
  
"I figured something was up, so I put off my trip. You want to fill me in on the details before you go through with this?" Harry took a deep breath and then began to explain to Torag about the link between his scar and Voldemort. Then he told him about what was to be happening with the dwarves, and that Voldemort was after some map they had.  
  
"Right then, now that I know what's going on we can concentrate on what's going on here. As you know, without the council meeting you are entitled to take fifty from the ranks at a time. If you think we need more than they'll have to hold a council meeting." Harry grimaced, fifty wasn't many even if they were full blooded giants. Still, they would have to depend that Dumbledore would be bringing forces as well. They didn't have the time to have a full meeting of the council, nor did he really want to explain to the council about his scar.  
  
"Two divisions then, It'll be tight but I think we'll have enough." Harry checked to find out which divisions were currently stationed at the city. He chose two well rested divisions and had them assembled in the yard. Then with Torag at his side we walked out to address his chosen troops.  
  
"I have received word that there will be a battle in two days at the dwarven city of Tavins Hall. We will be marching to hopefully arrive there before the battle begins so we can position ourselves. Hopefully we will not be needed, but if the situation arises we may be needed to provide support. So we will need full battle gear and a weeks rations. Most of that is already prepared, we march out in three hours. Make any preparations you need before we leave." Harry looked on as the Giants half listened to his orders. They did not respect him and he knew it. Torag had taught him that respect was pivotal in leader ship above all other things. Fine, if they wanted to play it this way then he would play.  
  
"Look, I don't give a damn what you think about me. But, you will respect my position! My orders stand and that is final now move!" Harry was about to turn and leave when he heard a booming voice behind him.  
  
"And what if I challenge your position?" Instantly the talking silenced, they all knew the challenge that was set down. To have your position challenged could result in a duel to the death. Harry turned back to the assembly to see the 17 foot giant with long matted black hair standing at the front. The man carried a huge battle ax that could easily cleave some medium size trees. Harry could hear Torag whispering to him.  
  
"Harry you don't have to accept the challenge. The council appointed you and that goes beyond these challenge rights." Harry calmed himself and turned once more to leave, but the Giant spoke again.  
  
"Just as I thought, all humans are weak. You should be cleaning my cloths not leading in battle." Harry let his head fall forward, he knew what he had to do. If he was every going to gain respect he would have to take the challenge. Once more his path had led him to the blade of the sword. Once more he would have to take another life to preserve his own. He turned his eyes heaven wards and spoke low enough so that only Torag could make out his words.  
  
"Mother, don't watch me now." The giant couldn't fathom the pain that the young man was in, but he admired the boy for his strength to hold such a heavy load. He did truly have a giant's heart, and he would definitely make a good leader to any lucky enough to be in his command.  
  
"Lets do this." Harry turned back around and took a step towards the Giant. The rest of the Giants stepped clear of the fight which they all had already decided the winner of.  
  
"Finally, let's see what you got little human." The giant let his ax rest against his shoulder and waited for the fight to begin. Harry turned to speak to all those who had gathered to watch the human and the giant.  
  
"Listen, all of you! After this let no one ever question me again. You may hate me, but you will respect me!" Harry turned his eyes back to the giant and let his heart harden in preparation.  
  
With a flick of his wrist his wand sprang to his hand and a spell was already on his lips. A cackle filled the air and a ball of fire the size of a boulder shot from his wand. He had opened with a powerful spell in hopes of getting the upper hand quickly, but the giant reacted by smashing it away with his ax. The blade of the ax whistled through the air as it headed to split Harry down the middle. The boy dove to his left and sent a spell to cause the sky to rain with ice. The jagged ice crystals ripped into both the wizard and the giant, but non struck to severe a blow. The giant swung the blade horizontally and Harry dove underneath the blade. Then he shot a force spell at the giants leg. The great giant lumbered back a step upon connection with the spell, but he recovered to attack again. Harry dove out of the way of a series of slashes, the giant was obviously trying to drive him back. He wasn't sure if it would hold but he had to take a chance. The giant took a slash at his head and Harry threw up his strongest physical shield. The ax slammed into the white barrier of light and sparks flew in the air as the blade fought to rip through. Harry shot three more force balls at the giant and they hit squarely in his unguarded stomach. The giant doubled over in pain and Harry shot a severing charm towards the giants exposed neck. Before it could hit the giant recovered and deflected the spell with his ax. Harry fought to create a strategy, but he had to just come down to skill and hope his training was enough. Harry attempted a impedimenta curse, but it proved ineffective against the giant. He was beginning to get frustrated when he saw a possible opening. The next time the giant slashed Harry ducked to the ground and threw a powerful lightning spell that connected with the giants exposed outer arm.  
  
The giant screamed out in pain and dropped the ax, but Harry found no time to relax as the giant brought both fists together and connected with his chest. Harry flew into the air and lost his wand while he fell to the ground several meters from where he had started. He searched the area for his wand and found that the giant was blocking his path to his weapon.  
  
"Now the human lost his toy. Why don't you come here and die like a honorable little human, wait I don't think there are any honorable humans." Harry's mind raced. Maybe it's finally my time to die, maybe it's my turn to pay for all those I killed. He knew he'd been holding back a part of himself so far in the battle. He could have used some stronger spells when he had openings, did he actually want to die here? The realization that he may be allowing himself to lose came as a ton of bricks.  
  
"Pathetic, though you can't blame this one. It runs in the genes, they all come from long lines of cowards. He couldn't help it if his parents were cowards just as he is. Bow down little human and maybe I'll kill you quick." Fine, if this giant wanted him then he would get him. If he was cast out of God's sight then so be it. If he was death than he would share his gift with this person who would insult his line. If war was his way then he would embrace it. Let the fallen angel be unleashed on them all.  
  
Harry's eyes grew cold, he reached up and brought his sword out of his sheath. He braced the blade with both hand and prepared himself. Mentally running over how to bring the giant down.  
  
"What's this? The little wizard picks up a mans weapon? Let see what you got little wizard." Harry rushed at the giant, his mind completely clear.  
  
'Don't think, just kill!'  
  
Harry dove underneath the giants swinging ax and came up behind the man.  
  
'Go for the tendon in the calf, take the hamstring, cut him off his feet.'  
  
Harry swung the five foot blade and connected across both of the Giants calves. His blade bit deeply and the giant began to fall forward to his knees. He was no longer able to support his massive weight on his injured legs.  
  
'Now reverse the blade and bring it across the stomach, slice him clean!'  
  
Harry spun around and brought the blade clean into the giants stomach. The blade found purchase and Harry yanked it back towards himself to draw a clean cut. The giant threw his head back in pain.  
  
'Now go for the kill!'  
  
Harry chopped downward and the giants head detached from his body. The headless body fell backwards, crumpling over it's already folded legs.  
  
'Do what you must. Show them all you have no mercy for those who challenge you.'  
  
Harry walked forward to the body and drove the blade into the giants chest. Then he used the blade like a lever and ripped the chest open along with the rib cage. Harry discarded his blade and dove his hands into the giants opened chest cavity. He found what he searched for he ripped the organ free and raised the heart high in he air. Harry stood on his fallen enemies chest covered in blood from head to toe, he held the giants heart high in the air. Whispers broke out among the multitude assembled and Harry vaguely heard what they were saying.  
  
"He's the blood angel himself!" Harry heard more than a few of them say. He turned his head to see that his blood soaked robes had been torn in pieces by the giants ax and flapped out behind him like blood stained wings.  
  
Harry tossed the heart to the ground and collected his wand. He used a piece of cloth to clean the sword and slid it back into his sheath. Then he turned to the growing assembly.  
  
"I have earned respect and it will be given to me. Find a replacement for him and we still leave in no less than three hours." Harry stepped out of the group with Torag at his side. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hagrid and Remus starring at him. He turned from their gaze and kept walking.  
  
He had done what must be done, now he had other battles to think of. For now he had to change into fresh battle robes, then gather maps of the region they traveled to. These were the easy things to think of, he would have to ponder the harder questions later.  
  
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Albus Dumbledore (August 14th, Thursday)  
  
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Albus Dumbledore sat in his office in front of those he had gathered in preparation of the coming battle. It had been only one hour since Severus had reported on the plans to attack the Dwarven stronghold. Now, he had been forced to gather what little resources he could muster to prepare a defense.  
  
Arthur Weasley and Rita Skeeter sat patiently waiting before the old wizard. Both awaited the wizened wizard orders. Neither knew what they had been called in reference to, but the solemn mood of the professors they had seen was enough to make even the flamboyant reporter think twice before speaking.  
  
"It has come to my attention that a large scale attack will be commenced in two days. The location of the attack will be provided once we have seen to preparing. I have called the both of you here to inform you of your tasks for the coming days." Dumbledore shifted his gaze between the two who sat before him. Quietly debating which he should address first.  
  
"Rita, I promised that you a story if you followed my suggestions. Now is your chance to claim that which I offered you. In two days a portkey will arrive at your home. This portkey will transport you once a secured portkey zone has been constructed. You may bring a small crew of no more than two other assistants. Keep in mind that this will be a battle, we have received word that the enemy will be well armed. I cannot guarantee your safety. It will be your choice whether to take the portkey or not. I cannot force you into a situation where you will be in danger." The reporters face was wiped clean as a slate, any doubt of the mans sanity left her when listening to the grave voice which he used to speak of the coming battle.  
  
"I will be there." She spoke with a determination that made the old man give her a second thought. Perhaps there was more to this reporter than meet the eye.  
  
"If you will excuse me, I have much to prepare." The reporter stood and left the room. The two men meet each others gazes.  
  
"Arthur.. I do not know how to ask this of you. What I'm about to ask you could be considered treason. I will understand if you can not aid me now." Arthur Weasley did not flinch at the headmasters words. In truth he had been stirring the rumor pot about the minister for some time now.  
  
"They caught us in a tough spot, we do not have the necessary resources or the man power to repel such a large attack so soon. Perhaps a month latter and I wouldn't be asking this of you. Arthur.. I need you to get me men. We do not have the time to call up any major military battalion, but if you could secure a regiment of Aurors. Until the end of the month I will have no idea what type of standing force I can count on, so for now we will need the Aurors support." Arthur Weasley looked at the Headmaster in the eye. The man had just asked him to subvert control of the ministries main body of law enforcement, and in two days no less.  
  
"I have spoken with many of the division heads, I believe I will be able to acquire both the men and the equipment for a battle. I do not know exactly how many I can offer you. A best guess on so short notice would be fifty to one hundred. What type of force are we talking about?" Albus considered what to tell the man. It would take at least two hundred to hold a effective siege, most likely they would have more.  
  
"I do not know, but I can tell you we will be out numbered. It still baffles me how Voldemort managed to gain such a foothold so quickly." Arthur Weasley nodded, his task was quite clear. Only the forces that he and Albus could muster would stand between Voldemort and his goal.  
  
"Albus...When the time comes we will stand to meet them. You have my word!" Dumbledore smiled, he had chosen well. Arthur Weasley would definitely be a valuable ally in the coming battles.  
  
******  
  
A/N- Sorry about the wait, been a bit busy but now I'm writing again. I'm really excited about the next chapter. I really put a lot into the battle. I think it's the most thought out Fanfiction battle I've ever read. Look forward to the reviews!  
  
BloodRedSword: Thanks for the review!  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: Thanks for the review, War definitely does change people. It's going to work hard on Harry especially. There are other things working on him as well, but we'll see more of that later.  
  
Mad Ant: Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it. I hope you continue to read and review.  
  
N. SilverWolf: Thanks for the review, I hope you like the chapter.  
  
Liedral: This fic is going throughout the year, won't stop at the beginning of the school year. I haven't entirely decided about pairings. I think thats going to depend on the readers a bit.  
  
Kaelli Karali: Thanks for the review, sorry about the wait!  
  
Angelis: Hope you like it, lots more battle coming up. You'll love the next chapter!  
  
Lynlyn: Thanks for the review, battle scenes are really my passion, and I am going for more of a epic effect. I hope you like the fic and thanks for the comments. If you thought the last part was disturbing, what do you think of the cannibalistic Voldemort?  
  
Eriee: Hope this chapter answered a few of your questions. Theres a lot more out there still to be discovered. I hope you enjoy the fic  
  
chaser: Thanks for the review!  
  
Suna: I caught the hint, yeah I'll write more quickly. Don't worry, and Harry will meet wormtail again. 


	9. Chapter 8: Warriors Cry

Disclaimer: IN SIX DAYS GOD MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, AND ON THE SEVEN DAY HE RESTED. IT'S TAKEN JK HOW MANY YEARS TO WRITE THE FIFTH BOOK. OBVIOUSLY GOD AND JK AREN"T ON THE SAME TIME SCHEDULE. OH WELL, I DON'T OWN IT ANYWAY.  
  
Snickers hilariously. Also Prays lightning bolts don't strike my keyboard.  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 8: Warriors Cry  
******  
  
Voldemort's Strike  
  
Day 1  
  
******  
  
The Dwarves of Tavin's Hall lived their lives in relative peace. Their mountain stronghold had been placed in one of the most strategically defensible areas of the mountain range. For centuries the Dwarves lived peaceful lives in their mountain kingdom. Still, they always remained ready and alert for those who would seek to bring war to their doorstep. It was a necessary precaution when one possessed a map showing the location of a powerful object thought to be lost for all of time. They had been entrusted with the honor of guarding this map, and it was a duty they took none to lightly.  
  
Tavin's Hall lay nestled in a crescent of the mountains. There was only two ways to reach the field that lay before Tavin's mighty outer walls. One such way was a path that lead well up into the mountains, to the west, behind Tavin's Hall. This path led into the foothills of the mountains, and in the higher areas it flattens out into heavily wooded forest where the dwarves would go to harvest the heavier woods. This overlooking forest gives a beautiful view of Tavin's Hall and it's surrounding territory. To the south of Tavin's Hall, past the field that lay at it's outer wall, is a deep valley that cuts between two mountains. On the other side of the valley is a field similar to the one that lays before Tavin's walls. Only by passing through the valley or coming down from the mountains can one reach Tavin's Hall. To the East of the field is a soft wood forest that is walled in by sheer cliffs, making it impossible to reach the Hall from this direction. The Valley was filled with trees and small canals the dwarves used to bring water into their mountain stronghold.  
  
The majority of Tavins Hall consisted of tunnels mined into the mountain, but there was a small portion above ground. Behind the massive Sixty foot tall and twenty foot thick stone walls the dwarves had built a above ground area. This outer area was centralized around a truly breathtaking sight. The dwarves had fashioned Two ninety foot tall three- headed dragon out of stone. Two of the heads on each dragon were positioned to look onto the path that led from the walls to the door into the underground kingdom. The third heads craned out over the sixty foot walls and overlooked the field. The dwarves had crafted golden and silver plates to act as scales and molded them onto the stone beasts. Rubies larger than a mans head were placed as eyes in the mighty stone creatures heads. All together they presented a sight that would stick with you till your dying day.  
  
So you can see why no one ever attacked Tavin's Hall. Between the mountains and the valley it was in a well fortified position. That is until Voldemort found that they possessed something he desperately wanted. Now, on the other side of the valley, hidden in that sides tree line, was a force of more than three hundred. Two wizards stood at the front of the army of three hundred and prepared to give the order to unleash the initial attack.  
  
Lord Voldemort was not foolishly thinking he would be able to approach the dwarves by surprise. Even if he were attacking by way of the mountains he couldn't reach the massive walls in time to keep them from shutting the gates. No, the beast army would serve to chase them behind their walls. Then, he could move his spell batteries into place and begin taking down the magical and physical shields. The spell batteries would take time to move safely through the valley and he would personally supervise their transport. They were to important to be damaged.  
  
Dwarves generally had little to no magic, but the Dark Lord could feel the strong defensive spells placed by those who had left the dwarves to guard the map. He wondered what kind of defenses had been placed besides the massive walls. The walls had been forged by hand and would be extremely difficult to remove, even with magic.  
  
The Dark Lord nodded to Lucius and the other wizard raised his wand in the air. After a muttered word a symbol of a skull and snake appeared in the air. Cracks and bangs reciprocated the mark as many different colored lights were shot into the air. Division commanders had answered their leaders. In a rush of movement the beasts took off out of the tree line. Like a swarm of locusts they spilled off the flats and down into the valley.  
  
Off in the distance the dwarves were preparing to activate to giant chain works that stretched deep into the mountain to close their doors. After a long day they had begun to call in those who worked in the valley above ground. That is, until they saw movement on the other side of the valley. The dwarves who were posted as centuries on the battlements watched as a plague of beasts swarmed out of the trees. In a instant they acted on what they had trained for.  
  
"Sound the trumpets! Shout the cry and pass the word! We must seal the gates!" The older dwarf on duty knew that those in the valley had no chance of reaching the gates before the invaders caught them. He knew the decision that must be made. Those who did not reach the gates would be forced to fend for themselves.  
  
Trumpets began to sound in a pattern that had not been heard for over two century. The warning cry had been given and any moment the doors would be drawn closed. The outside world would be sealed off, those who were left must fend for themselves.  
  
The dwarves in the field outside of the wall rushed in as the gates gave a mighty lurch. The stone began to grind as giant pulleys tucked beneath the earth drew the two portions of the gate together. Those in the field ducked in just as the gates slammed together and the entrance to the dwarven city was closed. Many returning home arrived in time to see the doors shut. They had only one option, with as much resolve as they could find they began their trek into the mountains in search of shelter. Those still in the valley would not share such a pleasant fate.  
  
The beast army surged like a newly unleashed river and boiled into the valley. Many of the dwarves in the valley knew their fate was sealed, they hefted their work axes to make their last stand. They had no idea that they had no chance. The thirty or so poorly armed dwarves were facing three hundred fully equipped warriors.  
  
The dwarves watched as the beasts surged to them, they gave them no more mind then they would a pebble in the road. The dwarves drew behind trees and waited for the attackers. Unfortunately for them the trees did not hide their presence. Their scent gave them away, and many fell due to beasts that zeroed in on their locations. As dwarves would meet the sword blows the beasts dealt, more beasts would make the kill from behind. They hunted as a pack, taking time to sweep the forest for those who remained behind. Thorough and deadly, they would meet each opponent with overwhelming odds and dispatch them quickly. A blow to the head or slice threw the middle was all it took to finish the job. The meager battle began and the dwarves numbers quickly dwindled due to the overwhelming assault. No sooner would ax clash with sword than the resistance would fall to the rising numbers. The beasts held no sympathy, and the dwarves meager work axes were like toothpicks compared to the heavy war weapons. The unprepared dwarves broke and tried to run, but were hunted down like wounded animals. One dwarf sat huddled next to a tree. His side split open and blood staining his white beard red. He watched as his friends and family slowly died around him. The beasts gave no regard to the critically wounded, they would die soon enough. He died knowing that this would only be the first of his kinsman's blood that would be shed.  
  
Voldemort watched what little could be seen and waited for his army to emerge out of the forested valley and begin their march to the field in front of his objective. He closed his eyes and breathed in the death that faintly lingered in the air. Soon it would be a strong stench that would permeate this field for all of time. He watched as his troop crested out of the forest and began their ascent. It had taken longer than he expected for them to pass through the valley. There must have been more dwarves caught off guard than he expected.  
  
"Lucius, see to the defense pillars, I will see to the moving of the spell batteries." Lucius moved to were the stone pillars were being stored. The large pillars prevented them from moving quickly. The large red stone orbs imbedded in the pillar mustn't be damaged. The pillars could absorb incoming spells and deflect them. He personally saw to the movement of the five foot tall red orb, and the pyramid shaped stand that it would rest on. The giant orb would rest on the point of the pyramid and together the two would control the defense pillars. While Lucius worked with some of the wizards who would move the pillars, Voldemort moved the ten delicate crystal spell batteries.  
  
The dwarves on the other side of the valley sat on the battlements and watched as the first of the beasts crested the top of the valley and began to charge through the large field.  
  
"Prepare to activate the dragons!" While they did not posses much magic of their own, they had often built things for those with magic. In exchange they had certain powerful spells done in there behalf.  
  
"Activate them now!" The dwarf in charge of battlements gave the order to those around him. Dwarves stationed by the dragon heads that leaned out over the battlefield ran to where the necks touched the walls. A ruby rod was inserted into a hole on each dragon and the stone beasts eyes began to glow. A white light shot out from their mouths and arched upwards. The walls began to glow and the same white light shot upwards into the heaven. A pillar of light now extend upwards along where the walls blocked off the outside world from the mountain stronghold. The exterior of the walls glowed the color of the red eyes, as the magic filled the stones and strengthened their defense. The white light that arced out of the dragons mouths now rained down like snowflakes over many miles surrounding the mountain.  
  
"Sir, the strengthening spells as well as the magic shields are fully operational. Word from the caves says the power orbs are drawing the power from the underground volcano's as they were meant to. We can operate this way indefinitely." The older dwarf nodded at his younger officer.  
  
"What of the movement rain?" The younger dwarf nodded and recounted what he was told.  
  
"Those who work the orbs have calculated that the spell has deadened all magical movement for over a surrounding Three kilometers. It easily covers the other side of the valley. They will have to set up special cleansed areas to be able to bring more troops into the area.  
  
"Good, then for now we must hunker down and wait for orders. Triple the watch, I want everyone fully armed. Signal me if anything happens." With that said the older dwarf went below to confer with the rest of the leaders.  
  
It was just as he had expected. They had powerful protection spells placed all over their walls. Voldemort smirked to himself, they had reacted just as he had expected. Now it was time to prepare the ambush for Dumbledore. The old wizard had no way of knowing what he would be facing. Now Voldemort had called his leaders together so that he might set the strategy.  
  
"McNair, you will be responsible for maintaining the defense pillars. The nine pillars are to be spaced out just before the valley. Dumbledore will not be able to use long range attacks as long as those spell batteries remain operative." McNair nodded to his master and then left to take his troops and begin the placement of the pillars.  
  
"Lucius you will be responsible for the overall control of the battle. You are also responsible for the deployment of the troops. I want them in two crescent patterns. One should be facing the wall and the other is to be facing the valley. The crescents will be back to back. Do not worry about the mountain path to the west or the cliff forest to the east. The dwarves had stopped anyone from moving freely behind our lines. Concentrate on the valley, that is where Dumbledore will be forced to travel through. Send twenty or so beast warriors up the mountain path, that should be sufficient protection. Set the command tent, the defense orb, and the Portkey point in the woods to the east. This will prevent Dumbledore from knowing if we bring in reinforcements, as well as securing our retreat." Lucius nodded, but waited for his master to finish the briefing.  
  
"Wormtail, you are to see to the spell batteries. I want two in east and two in the west, they are to be focused on the wall. The other six are to be positioned to fire into the valley. If Dumbledore wants this field he will have to eat spell fire the entire way. I warn you, do not damage my spell batteries." Wormtail nodded and then hurried off to begin  
  
"The rest of you will see that the troops are placed appropriately. Besides the twenty I want on the mountain flats, I want fifty down in the forest. I want three wizards on each spell battery, now go!" The group scurried off to begin their tasks.  
  
Voldemort listened as reports began to fill in to him. The defense pillars were in place and the shield could be called at a moments notice. The spell batteries were in position and could begin the bombardment of the wall at his order. The troops had reached there appointed areas, and the Portkey zone had almost bee cleansed. Once that was opened he could freely travel when necessary. For now he waited in the command tent. Soon he would begin the bombardment, and soon Dumbledore would walk into his trap.  
  
******  
  
Harry's Arrival  
  
Day 2, 3:00 P.M.  
  
******  
  
It had been almost a full day since they had departed the giant city, and Harry was surprisingly glad to be traveling again. He had found that the hard life of the road agreed with him and he much rather have a long day of walking than to be sitting in some cushy room. Still, the lingering purpose of the journey hung over him like a black cloud.  
  
Torag had rarely seen the boy this serious. Though he seemed to prefer the traveling, he didn't show it. The boy had adapted the face of a leader, strong and firm. When he spoke it was a order, and when he wasn't speaking you could tell he was contemplating the battle ahead. It was hard seeing him this way, almost like he had lost the ability to see the happy part of life.  
  
Harry had truly begun to employ the lessons he had learned. He was always resolute no mater how small the decision. He never showed weakness, and he was constantly considering three steps ahead. After going over the maps he had available to him he decided that his army would come out to the most strategically valuable area. Dumbledore would most likely be forced to approach through the valley, and Harry was sure Voldemort would prepare his defenses accordingly. He expected little resistance in the foothills above Tavin's Hall, still it would not due to allow them to tip off the army to their position. Though Dumbledore would have to come through the valley, Voldemort was not stupid. He would place some force on the mountain path to protect his flank. They would have to wait for the battle to begin and then take out whatever forces were protecting the flank. Harry had decided to try and box them in so they couldn't retreat down the path and warn the main force. Surprise and their position were his most valuable weapons.  
  
Still a part of his mind swirled around what he was becoming. He felt like a boat washed in a raging sea, being tossed about by waves to big to pass over. He was in search of calm waters but his path seemed determined to lead him towards vicious storms. In some ways he acknowledged that he had to change, it was necessary to survive. In others he was disgusted with himself, wouldn't death be better than to have too kill. Or is that just a juvenile ideal, one that you naturally have to let go of over time.  
  
The look on Remus and Hagrid's face had stuck with Harry. He didn't regret what he had done to that giant. He had no choice in the matter, giants had a fierce sense of honor. If he had spared the giant it would have been like spitting in his face. He would be mocking the giant, treating him as if he were only a child. The giant would have had lost honor for his entire family. He had given the giant the death the man deserved, it was the way of their society. Still, the look of shock in his friends eyes had chilled him.  
  
Now was not the time to focus on his feelings. Feelings got you killed, now he had to focus on the enemy and how best to defeat them. Now was the time when he had to concentrate on the now and forget all his other problems.  
  
The soft earth crunched underneath Harry's boots. They had crossed out of the snowy peeks to meet the rich greens of the forests just a few hours ago. Soon he would have to exercise caution, there was no telling where Voldemort had stationed his guards. The commanders of the two companies had informed him that they should get their first look at the dwarven kingdom soon. Most didn't believe that any threat existed, they expected to return to the giant city as soon as they reached the underground city of Tavin's Hall.  
  
"Quite now! We'll take a advance party of three forward and scout what is before us. Once we access the situation we will determine how best to precede." Harry waved three of the giants forward, then he and Torag began to lead them ahead.  
  
Harry let his wand slid into his hand and moved carefully through the trees, then up a path that crested before it descended to the mountain flats above Tavin's Hall. The sight that met Harry's eye was one that he would always remember. A army of the beast warriors had been laid out on the field before massive stone walls. Enormous dragons could be seen down below, and had Harry not known they were fake he might have thought they were alive.  
  
He had been right about his assessment though, Voldemort had the valley well guarded. Harry could see a small contingent of troops on the mountain flats, but they wouldn't pose much threat. His attention was drawn when a flash of light and a loud bang rang through the air. Harry looked to see that four spell batteries glowing brightly against the green ground. The six foot long crystals looked small from where Harry watched, but he knew that they were very powerful. They glowed brighter until it almost made you want to turn away, then a brilliant flash and a large spell blast would fire out the focusing point. The focused spells shot through the air and slammed into the glowing red walls. The red light would then dull a bit, then it would strengthen again. Still it didn't stop the spells from coming in their continuous precession. The loud noise that echoed this high up must be deafening closer, and Harry could almost feel the light tremors that shock the ground below.  
  
Harry could see that six more cannons were facing the valley. Dumbledore would have to face those cannons the entire time. Despite that thought Harry had to smile, Voldemort left the mountain pass with little guarding it. When the time came he could split the crescents in two and drive a wedge directly into Voldemort's forces. Harry could even see the defense station in the trees to the east of the field. If he could reach that he would open Voldemort's forces up to attack from whatever Dumbledore brought with him.  
  
Harry motioned for the giants to return with him, the group rose back over the crest and back into the forest on the other side.  
  
"Commanders, we will have a strategy meeting. I expect the battle to begin tomorrow, we will camp here and prepare." This was definitely important, Harry had pushed hard to get into position before Dumbledore arrived. Now he needed his troops well rested before they attacked. They weren't able to light fires or they'd risk alerting those below them, but they did construct rough shelters for the night.  
  
Harry and his commanders sat before a map of Tavin's Hall and showed them the troop emplacements of the enemy. They both agreed with Harry's strategy and soon they were preparing to settle in for the night.  
  
Now Harry only had to wait, soon Dumbledore would arrive and the battle would begin. Then he would stand and take action himself.  
  
******  
  
Dumbledore arrives (Welcome to Hell)  
  
Day 3, 3:00 P.M.  
  
******  
  
Dumbledore stood before those who had gathered on the lawns beyond the gates of Hogwarts. In such short notice he had to call in several favors, but now he had 75 fully trained wizards preparing to leave. Soon Arthur would arrive with his promised wizards and supplies. Albus still regretted that he couldn't have already assembled those Sirius had been sent to gather. For now they would have to make due with what they had.  
  
He expected to arrive at Tavin's Hall one full day before Voldemort arrived. Hopefully this would give him enough time to strengthen the dwarves defenses and they could occupy the heavily defensible city. If they could get emplacements on the walls they would easily be able to destroy a attacking army.  
  
The Headmaster had already seen to where Madame Pomfrey was working with a staff from St. Mongo's. He had tipped them off that they would be needed today, and the hospital had trusted his word. Now he had 30 medical witches and wizards prepared to take incoming casualties. St. Mongo's has even sent over equipment to set up a full field hospital and Dumbledore was all the more grateful. The staff had gone out on a limb to trust him, and he was in their debt.  
  
Various requests to friends in foreign ministries had brought him these 75 wizards. Hopefully their opposition wouldn't be as experienced. They would have to hope that their training was better than the enemies.  
  
The Headmaster planed to Apparate in just beyond the tree line on the opposing side of the valley. Then they would send a small party to the dwarves to inform them of the situation. From there they would enter the walls of the city and fight the enemy from the battlements.  
  
Many loud pops sounded the arrival of Arthur and his contingent of forces. The extra wizards would be sorely needed for the battle ahead. Albus smiled when he saw Arthur Weasley approaching him.  
  
"Albus, it seems we have a bit of luck. Not only have I brought 50 wizards, we were able to..commandeer.. four spell batteries as well as five defense pillars." That was definitely something to cheer about, the spell batteries would position well on top of the mighty walls.  
  
"That is indeed good news! With your fifty we are 125 strong. That should be more than enough to defend the city." Dumbledore shock Arthur Weasley's hand. Then the red headed wizard left to gather those he brought. Dumbledore cast the Sonorus charm on himself, then stood to make a announcement.  
  
"Today we go to the defense of a potential ally. Not only do we gain a friend, but we have a chance to stop Voldemort from gaining something that he has been searching for. Today we will fight for the future, and to protect the peace we have enjoyed for the past fifteen years." With that said the wizard ended his charm and turned to where the Port key's were kept.  
  
The group began to touch random items set out on tables and soon they were being whisked away to a forest far away. Little did they know they were being whisked off to a army that had been waiting for them for two full days.  
  
Off on the field in front of the besieged walls stood the Dark Lord they wished to stop so desperately. The wizard watched as multicolored blasts of light shot towards the protected walls and then shattered against the shield. He would have to use all ten cannons to force these magical shields to drop. But for now six would remain pointed into the valley. Any minute now he expected the report that would signal his departure.  
  
A death eater ran to his masters side, he was severely out of breath. When he reached the dark lord he fell on his knees and waited for his master to acknowledge him.  
  
"Proceed" The master waved a hand at the younger death eater, and the wizard rose from his knees.  
  
"Master, McNair reports that the defense pillars registered transportation magic not far from here. He believes it to be Dumbledore." The Dark Lord nodded and motioned for the young death eater to return to his post.  
  
"Lucius, have Wormtail silence those batteries. Alert the six that they must soon fire. The battle is yours Lucius, get me my map!" With that the Dark Lord left for the Portkey zone so that he could leave.  
  
Above the field Harry watched as continuous cannon fire stopped. He knew what this meant, he had expected it any time now. Dumbledore had arrived.  
  
"We'll move to the edge of the tree line, the bulk of us will remain at the top of the valley. Lets move quickly." The wizards began to move through the forest. The batteries and pillars took the rear as they moved as quickly into the forest as they could.  
  
The forests of the mountains were lush this time of year. The birds signing in the trees made a beautiful melody, and the wizards were still in awe of the mighty mountains that rose up in the distance. Many walked through the wooded area wondering who would be willing to destroy such a beautiful area. The birds chittered and chattered to each other in songs that could make angels jealous. Still they walked on to where the forest began to thin down a bit, soon they'd reach the edge of the valley. Soon they'd have to say goodbye to the birds songs. However.. The birds had already stopped singing. Everything had stopped, the birds, the wind, the squirrels in the trees. The whole world just went mute.  
  
That was when Albus sensed it, the scent that permeated the air. The scent of strong magic and old bodies coming from ahead. But it was to late now.  
  
One minute the silence was broken by a magically amplified shoot. Then the scene was shattered by huge blasts ripping through the trees and crashing around the group. It began like rain now, a stream of boulder size spell blasts would rip through trees before exploding around them. Twigs and branches rained down above them from trees that were having their limbs ripped to pieces.  
  
"Gather and cover! Begin shielding charms!" Albus had taken charge just as panic began to set in. This panic was only amplified when several found they could not Apparate out and to safety. Now the groups began to gather into smaller sections of twenty five. They took turns chanting, and small pink bubble began to appear all over the forest. Still the blasts of multicolored light surged through the trees. Bright red blasts slammed into some of the shields. Flames exploded from some of the blasts and licked the trees around the bubble. Debris from the trees continued to fall and slam against the shields that were meant to take only heavy spell blasts. Sizzling white balls of light connected with shields and caused sparks to fly and ignite nearby piles of leaves. Several shields began to flicker under the non magical barrage. But they didn't have time to erect a new shield or a stray blast could hit the entire group. Something had to be done.  
  
"Albus pointed to where a man who looked oddly similar to Sirius Black (Yes this is Sirius) was trying to rally his command." The man seeing that the headmaster wanted him passed his command down to his next in charge. He darted out of his bubble and ran through the burning debris and into the headmasters just as another white blast hit the bubble and discharged all around.  
  
"We must get the defense pillars erected. Have Arthur and his command take care of preparing the defense station. They can drop back farther into the safety of the forest. We will attempt to advance to the edge of the Valley, once we get there. Your and my division will work to raise the pillars while the other divisions stand barricade ahead of us." Sirius Blacks face became solemn.  
  
"Albus, they'll be dead shots out there, I don't know how long they'll last." The headmaster just nodded before beginning to pass the message throughout the commands.  
  
When the Headmaster gave the signal Arthur and his group began to drop back. Two of the groups pressed forward, then Sirius and Albus followed. Spell blasts continued to rock the earth and fell the air with terrible booming crashes as they discharged against the shields. The two groups finally emerged from the forest and got their first look of the army laid out before them. Strange inhuman figures walked amongst their ranks and in shock the group on the front left dropped their defense. Sirius began to shout for them to raise it once more, but it was to late. The enemy had caught them in a moment of weakness and three blasts had been launched in their direction. The group in the front right shifted to met the attack but only succeeded in glancing two of the blasts. The discharge of fire spilled onto some of the unprotected party and they fell to the ground writhing in pain. Those who didn't fall darted into the other bubble just before the third blast struck. Those left out were hit by the force of the white light and several stopped moving.  
  
Those who made it began chanting and expanding the bubble to cover more space. Behind them Sirius and Dumbledore along with 48 others worked to erect the five defense pillars. Spells discharged on the lead bubble and showered the area in the dangerous emissions as they worked to raise the first three pillars. No sooner had they been implanted in the ground then the orbs began to glow, signaling Arthur had activated them. Now the lead bubble dropped behind the pillars and worked with the others to raise the final two pillars farther out and lengthen their line to the full length that was reachable along that face of the valley. Spells continued to fire in their direction, but now brilliant red shields leaped into the air and absorbed the impact. The power of the spell was sent back to the orb where it was converted and used to power the very pillars that absorbed it. Soon the five pillars glowed in their place and the weary wizards could take a moment to take stock.  
  
"Bring the batteries forward. Set them in the tree line behind our shields! Get a damn portkey zone cleansed by the defense orb and get those damn medi-wizards here now!" A flurry of activity began once more. Many went to gather the wounded, others to begin the cleansing spell. More began to move the cannons forward. Albus Dumbledore was left trying to figure out if there was still a way he could save this hell.  
  
******  
  
Securing the Mountain Flats  
  
Day 3, 4:00 P.M.  
  
******  
  
Now was the time to begin moving. The din of fire that rang through the air before was nothing compared to that which now rocked the mountain side. Harry cringed when he saw the blasts continue to pound against the shields the light forces had struggled to erect. Now was his chance to take control of the mountain flats and position himself for a ambush of his own design.  
  
"Listen, Ten are to circle through the trees and get below the enemy. Do not reveal yourselves to the dark forces below us! You are to destroy any who try to retreat down the path. Non must survive this if we are to remain effective. The rest of you will take position just below the crest on this side. Wait for them to come to you, I will draw them out. Once they have extended themselves we will strike them from all sides." A hustle broke out as the giants began to eagerly expect battle. All signs that they had camped their had been erased and the giants had almost disappeared into the dense foliage. It was amazing that such huge people could hide so well. Harry briefly wondered if the enemy would pick up the giants scent. He hoped that since the scent wasn't human they wouldn't be expecting the attack.  
  
Once he received the signal that everyone was into position Harry began to put his plan into action. He wore a dark green battle robe that blended well with the trees and he began to make his way over the crest of the mountain path. He carried a air of confidence and walked like he belonged there, quickly he descended till he almost came directly on top of the group of twenty beast warriors.  
  
"Good afternoon, I was wondering if you could give me directions. I'm a bit lost you see." Harry smiled at the group of beast warriors that were standing in the forest in front of him. The creatures looked to one another before one of them decided to take the lead and approach the human.  
  
The beast walked closer to Harry and he stood calmly waiting for it. When it was within striking distance, the creature attacked with it's sword. It slashed at the boy's stomach, but he was already prepared. Harry spun around and let the beasts sword strike the blade that was strapped to his back. Harry backed into the creature and let his wand slip into his hand. He shot a force spell strong enough to make a giant falter from underneath his other arm. The spell connected with the beast and it flew backwards and wrapped itself around a tree. The sound of it's back cracking in two drew the rest of the beasts towards the boy.  
  
"Now is that anyway to treat a traveler. A guy could start to think he was unwanted!" Harry took a step away from the advancing mob, then he broke into a run back over the crest. He could hear them coming behind him. A small smile crossed his face as he lead them forward.  
  
Harry spun around to face his pursuers, his blade sliding free from it's sheaf as he turned. The beasts slowed and then stopped to look at him. They could smell something in the air, something they hadn't come across before.  
  
"Come now, we're just starting!" With that giants appeared out of the woods like they'd only been hiding under sheets. A swell of emotion struck Harry, it was something that he had never felt before. Anger, hate, rage, and joy all at once. It was like surging flood waters attempting to burst through some dam. The emotions threatened to sweep him away in his own mind, but he had to remain anchored. Harry took a moment to clear his mind and the world seemed to resume at it's normal pace.  
  
Now he could see the battle was beginning, the beasts were taken off guard by the giants ambush. Harry took the opportunity to slash clean through the chest of one who had let it's guard down to analyze the new threat. In one fast motion he ran forward and resumed the attack. Two of the beasts took focus on him, but his blade gave him the reach and he attacked with the advantage. Harry brought a strong chop downwards and a beast had to take a step back to steady itself from the force. Now he took the opportunity to stab through it's chest while it struggled to keep it's balance. The other attempted to strike him from the side, but Harry shifted to the other side of his sword that was still sticking into the injured beast. The sword acted as a bar and caught the oncoming blow. The force of the downward swing ripped the blade down through the impaled beast and out it's crotch. Now that it was free he swung upwards at the unguarded beast and loped off it's head.  
  
The battle raged on around him as the giants attacked and mutilated the beasts that had followed. Seeing that they were outnumbered they tried to retreat through the trees, only to be met by the blades of the giants who had circled below. Once more Harry felt a wave of emotions as he fought on. This time pain and fear was mixed in and it only intensified the storm.  
  
Harry wiped his wand out and pointed it towards the retreating backs of the remaining beasts. Harry shouted a spell and a blast of light struck a tree near the enemy. The mighty timber fell to the side and crushed two of the beasts trying to make a escape. A third fell to a giants ax and a fourth to a thrown boulder that crushed the beast against a tree.  
  
Spells flew from Harry's lips as he fought to finish off the remainder of the enemy forces. Still he had to be careful not to use anything that could alert those below to their position. Harry pointed his wand towards some of the fallen bodies and banished their weapons. The blades flew through the air and pierced another like a pin cushion. Then he hit the beast with a force spell and it flew into another beast. The sword sticking through it's body ripped into the seconds flesh.  
  
Harry watched as the last of the enemy fell to the ground dead. None had escaped, and none would live to give word of the threat waiting in the mountains. The injury report was minimal and Harry made sure that those with small wounds were tended to. Then they began to move down the mountain. It was slow going because they had to stick to well covered areas.  
  
Now they were in position, for the first time they got their first good look at the field below them. They were tucked in a forest grove on the flats above the field. When they charged they would rip into the enemy's unprotected side.  
  
Whatever had overtaken him in the battle seemed to have past and Harry began to prepare for their next attack. He had a few more surprises to put together so that when they attacked none could stand in their way.  
  
******  
  
Valley of the Beast  
  
Day 3, 4:30 P.M.  
  
******  
  
Sirius approached the command tent with a solemn face. After an hour of constant bombardment and two shield failures they had finally managed to come under some semblance of structure. They had managed to create a bunker running into the side of the valley itself and had positioned the spell batteries at tunneled out windows. Now if the shields faltered under the constant onslaught the those in the foreground would not suffer so severely.  
  
The staff of St. Mungo's had set up a field hospital deep behind the spell batteries range and were working to heal the wounds from the initial onslaught as well as those suffered during shield failures. They were working tirelessly to heal the wounded so that they could reinforce the line, sadly they had suffered several severe casualties who would not be returning.  
  
Sirius was forced to steady himself when a unexpected tremor emanated from close by. They had started to return fire, at least they could do something in this failed mission. Not that it would do much good. The enemy had two shield barriers to every one of their spell batteries, they would easily shrug off the attack. This mission had been a disaster, so much so that he was looking for someone to blame. It had to be that bastard Snape who passed on bad information, or worse, drew them into this hell.  
  
Sirius entered the bunker and walked to were Albus and the group commanders had gathered. Albus, himself, Arthur, and two other ministry Aurors made up the party of command. Each had been responsible for 25 of their troops. Now their numbers had suffered greatly, still they would follow Albus.  
  
"Good, now that Mr. Brown has joined us we can begin." Just who did Albus think he was, like that would fool anyone. Mr. Brown indeed, even with a few physical changes the old man was taking a risk.  
  
"Perhaps we should just wait Albus, it will be very difficult to breech their defenses." One of the Aurors suggested.  
  
"That's not a option, if we are to wait then we might as well go home. Voldemort will wait just as long, and he will break into those walls long before we overcome him if we wait." That made a lot of sense, it's not like they were posing a threat just sitting here and getting shot at. Nor would the shields hold for a indefinite amount of time. They were already being stressed by the number of spells being fired at them.  
  
"What about their apparition zone, have we had any luck cracking the frequency their using to disrupt the field with?" Arthur was definitely a smart one, if they could find the frequency they were using for their apparition zone they could pinpoint the spot and then Apparate in.  
  
"No, it's to far away and their shields and the residual magic from their spell batteries is to much of a disruption to gain any headway. We also have no clue what resonance the dwarves are using to hold the field up. To many variables to randomly sift through." Sirius knew this would be the case, now he wondered what the old wizard had planned.  
  
"We must make a attempt on that field, or at least the valley. We cannot just sit here and allow Voldemort to entrench himself further. It will be tough enough as it is. We will send three companies into the valley to secure the forest. We will set barriers at the edge of their side of the valley. From there we will launch our attack." Sirius almost bite his tongue, the old man was crazy, did he understand what he asked them to do. Thankfully one of the Aurors voiced what he thought.  
  
"Albus, you can't be serious? We'll be eating their spell fire the entire way, not to mention we have no idea what awaits us in the forest below. Surveillance reports that the enemy isn't even human. Sure, there are wizards over there, but the bulk of them are some type of strange creature." Sirius hadn't heard this last part, but he realized that he would get close enough of a look soon.  
  
"It is the only way, once we have the forest we will proceed from there. I have chosen the groups to lead this attack. Mr. Anders, you will take your company and enforce the right flank. Mr. Mackenzie, you will enforce the left flank. Mr. Brown, you will drive the middle. You leave in ten minutes, gather your men together. I have provided a device to communicate with each other as well as here. Good luck and may Merlin be with you."  
  
Sirius left the tent after the briefing to prepare his men, this would not be easy by any stretch of the word. It would be a tough road ahead of them and this would only be the first step. Dumbledore called him over to where the old man was standing.  
  
"Sirius, I thought I should let you know that I sent Fawkes with port keys to retrieve Remus, Hagrid, Madame Maxime ,and Harry. Harry will be returning to Hogwarts, but the rest should be coming here. I'll inform you when they arrive. I have also sent the port key for Rita, she should be here within the hour." Sirius nodded, at least Harry would be well out of danger. That would be one less thing he had to worry about. Now he could focus on the battle ahead.  
  
Now Sirius stood with his men positioned at the edge of the shields. Spell fire still rocked the valley and soon they would be charging through it. Now was the time for their charge to the forest below.  
  
"Maintain formations until you reach the forest. You leave after the next enemy spell volley." Dumbledore's voice cut out of the small ear piece tucked behind Sirius's ear.  
  
The light flashed from the opposite side of the valley and the massive energy spikes slammed into the shields. In a flash the shields absorbed the impact, and just as quickly they had taken off in a charge down the field. Now they were in between both their and enemy spell fire. The ground trembled as they ran at full speed down the face of the valley. Sirius watched as enemy fire arched in towards them, and their own fire was returned to attempt to counter the enemy blasts. Several of the spells met in the air and showers of sparks and fire rained down from above them. Others slammed into the valley and created pocked craters along their side of the field. Dirt flew into the air from where the spells connected creating a cloud of debris, but the forest drew closer and with it came cover from the aerial attack.  
  
Sirius hit the ground once he entered the forest, his wand drawn and already strafing for targets. He was vaguely aware that the rest of his company had followed his example once they had reached the forest. Now he had to take command and lead the group.  
  
"All right, spread out in groups of five. Two on each side, group leaders will guide you forward. We're pushing to the other side of the forest. Loose formation, but stay ready. Move out." Sirius watched as his orders were carried out. The company spread out, but not far enough that they couldn't see the groups to either of their sides.  
  
Sirius listened for the other commanders to signify that they were ready. He waited for their voices to sound above the constant din of fire that slammed into the forest canopy. Burning branches would occasionally rain down from above them, but Sirius paid it no mind.  
  
When everyone was in position they began to make their push into the forest. Random spells would be fired at anything that moved or made noise above the constant pounding that rained in on them. Still they met no resistance.  
  
"Damn!!! They're coming out of no where! What the hell are they! Fall back to defensive positions, reinforce the Left!" Sirius heard the left flank commanders shouting on his ear piece. He quickly shouted out orders to his own group to assume a defensive position. No sooner had the order been given then the enemy attack.  
  
The strange beasts seemed to come at them in small groups. Only a couple at a time, but they didn't charge at them directly. The hit and faded quickly, using the forest to their advantage. Striking like wolves at one's heels.  
  
A small group of three fell before Sirius and his group. They quickly made short work of one of the men, ripping his stomach out and spilling his guts before the rest of the small party.  
  
"Open fire!" The order was unnecessary as the remaining four men had already begun to shout various spells towards the attacking party.  
  
Sirius shot a stunning spell at the one closest to him and the creature seemed to give it little mind. The red light glanced the creature in the shoulder but it continued to run towards them anyway. Now he shot blasts of lightning, no longer attempting to preserve his enemy. The blast struck the creature and left deep scorch marks on it's body. Still it continued to approach, a spell shot a fountain of water to push the enemy back and Sirius took advantage by throwing a freezing charm to deep freeze the enemy. The offending creature was trapped in the icy prison and a force spell shattered it and the ice together.  
  
The other two broke off their attack and darted back into the forest around them. Sirius recognized the enemy's resistance to spells and relayed orders accordingly. They hadn't brought alternative weapons so they would have to make due.  
  
"The enemy is resistant to most spells. Use focus groups, two and three to a target. Combine strength to take them down. Close the ranks and bring groups closer together to assist one another." The company followed Sirius and did as he told. Sirius could hear similar orders being dispatched, as well as Dumbledore asking for their position. He relayed the coordinates and moments later spell fire was raining down in front of their groups.  
  
Amidst the fire the enemy still acted, now in groups of four and five. Sirius picked at target and began shouting fire spells along with other members of his group. Arrows and balls combined to strike targets and slow them down. A second shot brought the creature down, but the others were still attacking them with a furry. Sirius erected a physical barrier to stave off a sword strike and two of his comrades focused a force spell on the creatures leg to hobble it to the ground. A well placed spell blast slammed through the tree tops and incinerated two creatures still coming.  
  
Sirius made a motion and the group began to push onward. The trees rained fiery debris from above them as them moved forward in the fading sunlight. Several creatures darted out from behind trees and attacked his group striking down another man before they could throw up shields. The remaining two clustered closer to Sirius and focused on the offender. Three cutting charms slashed into the stomach of the beast and the creature fell to it's knees. Still more attempted to push at them from the sides. They were being overwhelmed, and before they could fall adjust the creatures were gone back into the forest.  
  
"Break divisions, move to secondary groups." The remainder of the five original groups began to meld together to form three groups. Hopefully with more men they could focus easier and be able to defend their sides.  
  
Creatures seemed to pop up in the middle of their groups and attack them from within. Sirius spun around and shot a blinding spell that struck the creature in the eyes. The creature shrieked in pain and got hit in the back with several strong force spells. The creature bent over, but before they could pick another target the creatures had attacked another and escaped into the forest.  
  
The sun fell behind the horizon and what little light that reached through the trees disappeared. Now only the flashes from the spell blasts above, and the falling burning debris offered any illumination. If there was any question that the creatures had the advantage before, now they clearly were superior. The continued to attack like it was brightly lit out.  
  
The appeared to the left and Sirius dispensed his group accordingly. Some attempted to raise physical shields while others struck back at the enemy with various spells. In the dark they managed to slip around the defenses and took down three more. Something had to be done or they would suffer significant loses.  
  
"Dumbledore, we need to pull back! We can't fight in the dark, they've pressed us to hard!" Sirius waited for a response. Similar reports were given out by the other commanders. He vaguely noted that the voice of the right flank commander had changed. He had heard that they got struck extra hard and the commander was hurt badly. Perhaps he had not survived or wasn't able to lead any longer.  
  
The enemy continued to attack out of the darkness and then retreat as they waited. Sirius dove onto his back and shot a spray of red light at a enemy the was sneaking up behind him. The light was blistering hot and boiled the creatures skin where it made contact. Two more wizards shot spells at the creature and it fell to the ground.  
  
"Very well, withdraw! We'll attempt to provide light and cover." A spell blast shot up into the air and exploded above them. It left a strange blue light glowing above the field. Then spell fire began to pummel their retreat. The trees broke out in flames as their position was rained in on by fire from both sides.  
  
Quickly they pulled back to the edge of the forest and then began to move up the valley face. The glowing light dissipated and plunged the area into darkness once more, luckily this provided cover from the enemy fire that attempted to pick them off as they struggled to return behind their lines.  
  
The red glowing defense pillars provided a sense of relief to Sirius, they signified temporary safety. Soon even that safety would be challenged.  
  
***  
  
Harry watched as the battered forces fled the forest to return to their encampment. Funny how he couldn't bring himself to feel lose over those who did not return. They had known what it could mean if they rushed forwards. Why bother shed wasted tears for those who had taken a known risk.  
  
It wasn't like any of them were an innocent. They wielded their weapons to kill just as he did. Truthfully they all deserved whatever fate awaited them. No one was truly innocent, they were all sullied by blood.  
  
Still some part of him longed to not spare another second. To charge into battle in a blaze of fire and fight till the last man. He had to realize that this impulse was some vestige of his Gryffindor self. Now was the time for shrewd tactics. He had to wait for the enemy to expose themselves or it would all be for naught. Till then they would have to fend for themselves.  
  
It was times like these that made him question himself. What was he becoming that he could sit by as his friends and brothers in the cause were fighting for their lives.  
  
Still some part of him knew the answer. Somewhere deep down his spirit had fallen asleep. He had become somehow numb and cold. There was no one who could call him back from the edge now, but when he leapt he would bring the world with him. ***  
  
Sirius limped into the bunker, spell blasts still echoing against the shields above them. Men passed him as they hurried to add protections to the lines, while others delivered reports or orders to those who made decisions.  
  
However, it wasn't these men that caught his attention. It was the one standing next to Dumbledore. A man with graying hair who he hadn't seen for so long. Sirius sidled up behind the man without letting him know he was there.  
  
"He left a few days before Fawkes came, took two companies with him. Albus, things did not go as we planned. Things have changed, he has changed. Whatever happens we can't tell Sirius, if he knew Harry was somewhere out there." That was all Sirius needed to figure out what they were talking about. The details didn't make sense, but one thing was certain. Harry wasn't where he was supposed to be.  
  
"What are you talking about! Harry is supposed to be back at Hogwarts! What happened!" Remus spun around, his expression changing when he saw the man behind him. Even disguised Remus could identify his old friend. He weighed his options, then after a glance towards Dumbledore for approval he continued.  
  
"Things went better than we planned, the giants choose to join us in a alliance. This was mainly thanks to Harry and his actions along the way. In turn, they choose him as their ambassador." Remus went on to describe their journey through the mountains. How they fought along the way, and how they joined the half giants. He told them of the ambush and of the trial. He told them of the giants decision and what Harry had said to bring about the change. Then he told them of Harry's last day at the city and how he left with a army, bound for the battlefield.  
  
"What was he thinking!" Sirius shook his head and pounded his fist against the maps laid out on the table. Albus only stared at the maps more intently. A strange expression on his face, not his normal knowing smile or twinkling eyes. He looked uncertain, the truth be told he had expected the giants to join with Voldemort. It hadn't even been a thought that Harry might sway the course he had plotted. The boy was a catalyst in the truest sense of the word. Where ever he went change followed. As long as he was around their were infinite outcomes that could follow him. If he had left when Remus had said he should have arrived well before them. He voiced the questions that kept rolling through his head to no one in particular.  
  
"Where are you Harry, and what are you playing at?"  
  
******  
  
Arrival of the Unnamed Warriors  
  
Day 4, 1:00 A.M.  
  
******  
  
"Sir! Dumbledore's forces have been driven back. Also we have received word from the master." Lucius turned to face the younger man standing at his side. A slight inclination of his head was all the man received to indicate he should report.  
  
"The master's plans run smoothly and he has sent 100 beast warriors as reinforcements. He says that with the reinforcement's you best not fail him." Lucius smiled and then turned back to watch the small forms of the retreating enemy.  
  
"Have the reinforcements join them in the valley, once there they should attack the opposite side. I want them crushed." The younger death eater nodded and then took off to dispatch the orders. Lucius smiled, it would be much longer now.  
  
***  
  
Faces were solemn on the opposite side of the valley. The constant bombardment was beginning to take a toll upon their already frayed nerves. Now they were attempting to find a way to launch another attack against the opposite side of the valley.  
  
They were debating whether it would be best to bring forces from further down the mountain and guide them through the forest in the valley farther away from the enemy lines. That's when it began, or rather that's when it stopped.  
  
A moment of silence fell over the mountain side as the bombardment stopped. The dread silence wove itself through each of their bodies and disheartened even the bravest of them. Something was definitely up and chance are they wouldn't like it.  
  
"Division commanders to your posts, stretch the line and prepare for a attack." Dumbledore broke the spell of silence and a flurry of activity began as unit leaders rushed back to their groups.  
  
"I want everyone who can hold a wand to be prepared, we'll hold them off as the come to the top. The bunkers will provide us cover, and the spell batteries will rip the apart. Remus, join Mr. Brown's unit." Sirius looked to his friend and the two left the bunker to prepare.  
  
Soon they were all prepared for the attack. Orders buzzed in Sirius's ear as other commanders dispatched their men. He debated with himself whether he should just take out the ear piece  
  
Their own batteries flared to life once more, this time sending balls if light out. The light exploded and illuminated the mountains. The sight it revealed chilled Sirius to the bone. No less than One hundred and twenty five of the beasts were making their way out of the forest. This force was larger than all the men they brought with them. They could only pray to hold out using their superior position.  
  
The first wave of the enemy crested the valley at a full run. Hideous features were illuminated by the blue light that hovered high in the air. The batteries flared to life once more, and deadly spell blast ripped at the still charging enemy.  
  
"Ready, FIRE!!!" No sooner had Sirius given his order than spells began to flash all down the line. At least here the enemy couldn't duck into the trees after they struck, and their defense allowed them to target the enemies more efficently.  
  
Blasts of fire struck the front of the enemy forces, the smell of charred flesh filled the air like rotten meat left out in the sun. Still they came, like some mindless machine.  
  
"NOW!" Sirius waved to men who were standing behind him and they to rushed up onto the mound to add their strength to the weakening men. Those who were originally fighting dropped back to recharge before they must strike again. If the enemy kept up this relentless pace they wouldn't be able to hold them off much longer.  
  
Again they switched lines, but still the enemy came at they with feral intensity. It wouldn't be long now until they were force to fall back or fight them face to face.  
  
Sirius turned behind him to see a sight that made ice form in his veins. Some how a army of at least 90 had gotten behind him, wizards cloaked in red were coming out of the tree line. In a split decision Sirius put Remus in charge and turned to contact Dumbledore. It was already to late, the old wizard had already reached the front of the line. He crackled with power that would intimidate even this army.  
  
"What do you want here?" His wand sparked in his hands as he prepared to face this new threat.  
  
"Only to help, you looked like you were in need." Dumbledore didn't speak, nor did he let his gave shift away from them.  
  
"Look, there is no way either of us could stop the enemy and free the dwarfs alone. Perhaps if we joined together we might stand some chance." Sirius had reached Dumbledore's side.  
  
"Who would we be joining with?" That was definitely a valid question.  
  
"Just some people who have a vested interest in protecting these dwarfs. The only thing you should be concerned with is your falling line. The sooner you make your decision the sooner we can join you and perhaps stave off this attack." Dumbledore looked at the man carefully, his features were well hidden beneath his cloak.  
  
"Fine!" With that decided new orders began to circulate. Dumbledore's forces shifted to the left and this new group took up the right. Now they were able to more than double their attack power. The enemy began falling back under this new resurgence. Still it was difficult due to their resistance to magic.  
  
When they had fallen back into the valley Dumbledore was forced to make a decision. He would not get another chance like this. Still, he'd have to do something he hated to be effective at all. He spoke to all the leaders.  
  
"Now will be our best chance, if not out only chance. We will pursue them back into the valley." Now came the tough command, the one he hated to make.  
  
"Due to the enemies resistance to magic I am authorizing the use of the killing curse. Use it only when you have a sure shot at hitting the enemy. I don't want any accidents." There, it had been done. Silence greeted the command, then the unit leaders began to issue commands once more.  
  
Sirius and Remus lead the division on the charge. Soon men straight down the line had leapt forward and gave chase. Green light illuminated the enemy as they began to fall. The killing curse began to do it's job, it killed. The batteries struck out at the forest and other side of the valley with a vengeance. They were striking with everything they had now.  
  
Some turned to fight back, but they were down hill and the killing curse was flying at them from all directions. Blood and sweat dripped off those who chased the beasts. They struck at them for their fallen comrades. Stepping over the bodies of fallen enemy and ally as they moved closer to the forest.  
  
Here in the darkened forest the enemy attempted to make a stand, they relied on their former methods. But the light's numbers as well as the killing curse made their attacks less effective. They would fall before they got a chance to get to close. Some ran and through their swords to impale the enemy before they were struck with the green death light. The attacked with no hope for survival, but they attacked non the less.  
  
Soon they had passed through the forest and stepped out onto the hill of the opposite side of the valley. The pushed onward, and up towards the other side of the valley. They could not have been prepared for what they were meet with. Only now did they get their first glimpse of the true size of the enemy. Even with the added strength of the unnamed army they couldn't compete with the mass of beasts and wizards they were now met with.  
  
Lucius smiled when the first of them reached the field. He nodded to a death eater by his side and the batteries resumed their attack.  
  
The spell blasts slammed into them as they attempted to perform some defense. Spears filled the air as the a army of beast threw them at the approaching wizards. Sirius watched as a spear ripped through a mans head and imbedded him into the ground. They couldn't fight this.  
  
There spells slammed into the enemy's shied wall and were absorbed. Only the killing curse could penetrate, but the onslaught was just to much to stand up against. Lights hope was dimming.  
  
***  
  
Harry watched as the Light army rushed after the enemy. He had been worried when he saw the reinforcements, but now that was in the past. Still, they had no chance at breaking the siege with their numbers.  
  
A trill drew his attention away from the flashing light of the battle field bellow, he looked up to see Fawkes swirling in from above. A note was attached and Harry removed it from the bird.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Hope your summer went well. Here is a port key set to take you back to Hogwarts, I'm afraid I won't be there to meet you. Some trouble has come up and I will be a bit busy. Remus and Hagrid will be coming to were I am, but a Professor will be there to meet you.  
  
Albus Dumbeldore  
  
"Well, I'll say he's gotten himself into a bit of trouble. What do you think Fawkes." Fawkes trilled and looked down upon the battle bellow.  
  
"Don't worry Fawkes, Everything will be OK. Though I think you tracked me down for nothing. I don't think I'll be returning to Hogwarts just yet." The bird gave another trill and squeezed his shoulder a bit. Harry was a bit worried about Dumbledore and all those he knew. They soon would be running into the full force of the enemy. Unfortunately this was something he had been hoping for. If Lucius reacted as he expected they would play right into his hands. Still, Perhaps there was something more he could do.  
  
"Fawkes would you mind carrying a letter for me." Fawkes seemed to agree so Harry grabbed a quill and paper from his pack. He scratched out a note, and for some reason he got the impression that Fawkes was reading it as well. As he signed his name Fawkes grabbed the paper and flew off towards the red shield surrounding the dwarves kingdom.  
  
Harry thought Fawkes was going to crash, but the wall seemed to simply open and let the bird through.  
  
***  
  
A sentry was standing duty when the Fire bird soared in and landed atop the battlements. No sooner did it land than twenty dwarves had reached it prepared to fight. When they saw what had arrived a hurried message was passed through until the commander of the dwarvish army arrived to remove the note.  
  
It had been stressful for the dwarves, especially because they had recently found that the generator for their shield was over loading do to the constant bombardment. It wouldn't last another full day.  
  
The commander took the note and read it to himself. His gaze stiffened, then he looked towards the mountain path. It took him only a moment to make his decision, this would be their last chance.  
  
"Assemble all the forces, we are going to battle."  
  
***  
  
Harry watched as a humongus signal fire illuminated the inside courtyard of the dwarven city. They had agreed, now it was up to him to begin the attack. When he did he would come down with the full force of the giant and dwarvish army.  
  
******  
  
Attack of the Blood Angel  
  
Day 4, 4:00 A.M. Dawn  
  
******  
  
"Kill them All!" Lucius spoke calmly as he watched the retreating light warriors. They hadn't been prepared to fight this many and they had paid for it, now they were in full retreat.  
  
"Sir, if we chase we will not have enough men to hold both the field and the valley. It will take significant forces to finish them off." Lucius turned towards the quivering death eater.  
  
"It doesn't matter, who do we have to fear? The Dwarves? Once we defeat Dumbledore then it is only a matter of time. Stretch the lines and chase them."  
  
"Yes sir." The death eaters scurried to pass the orders along. Soon a full one hundred and fifty were being stretched out after the retreating light.  
  
***  
  
Harry watched with a smile on his face. Lucius had played into his hands. Now when he attacked he could drive a wedge right through the two lines. They even stood a shoot at reaching the defense orb. If they destroyed that it would be all over for them. The spell batteries could eat their entire army. Yes, Finally the time for action had come. It was finally time to pay them back for the lives they had taken.  
  
"Now is the time, First division prepare. It will be our job to drive the wedge. Second division will follow on my signal they will attack and push towards the dwarven front. Then once we have joined we will drive the remaining enemy into the valley. We begin in fifteen minutes." Harry left to prepare himself. He put on a pair white battle robes. They were his last clean pair so he was lucky that they would get to attack today. Soon they wouldn't be white anymore, just like his soul they would be stained.  
  
Harry approached the edge of the forest. Twenty five giants standing at his side. The rest positioned behind them with a surprise he had prepared. He amplified his voice to speak before he attacked.  
  
"Today we stand not as individuals but as brothers in arms. We stand not as soldiers, but as on mighty weapon. We are not single powers, but a tidal wave of force. Remember that! Remember our strength together. Below us are perversions against nature, things that were never intended to walk the earth. Let us be a cleansing fire and wiped them from the face of these mountains. Spare them no quarter as they do not deserve any. It is time we fall on them like fire and burn them to the ground." Harry turned back towards the enemy, he gave a nod to Torag who was with the second division and then hardened his gaze.  
  
Like before he could feel a surge of emotions. A strange feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on it.  
  
"CHARGE!!!!!" Harry leaped out of the trees and began down the slope. The earth began to shake as the division followed him. The sounds of battle bellow them seemed to dim as this new strange sound echoed through the mountains. Like prey realizing they are in the path of a lion, they knew. They knew that the world was crashing down around them.  
  
Harry's blood began to boil as the emotions began to press into him. Now he knew what was happening, these weren't his feelings. This was the combination of all those around him. There lust for blood and battle was driving him on. Their rage was building his own to levels beyond his control. There will for battle had pushed him to take the lead, he was the catalyst of everything they wanted.  
  
By end of the day the battle would be a blur for him, but tales would be told of how he fought. Song would be sung of his ferocity. He would have taken both the first and the last blood of the day. Like he was a demon raised up from the depths of hell, they would say.  
  
Some say a berserker was a person who had so little care for those around them, that they were mindless killing machines, but now Harry had a different idea. Perhaps they were just so in tuned with those around them that they felt to much. Perhaps in battle the emotions of the enemy and allies would drive them into a frenzy, for that is what was happening to him.  
  
Harry's sword was in his hands before he could realize he had drawn it. He ran with speed he never before had, driving him ahead of the giants. Then a scream from his throat triggered action.  
  
From above boulders were launched high above the attackers. The massive rocks slammed into the still unprepared lines below and bowled through them. Bodies were crushed under the attack. Many dove to get out of the way but most were crushed under the rocks weight.  
  
The beasts attempted to form some sort of a line, but it was no use. The ground roared underneath them as the division approached. Time ran out and the giants had already reached there ranks. Harry's massive blade crashed into a beasts. The beasts blade shattered and Harry carried through it. Blood splashed into the air, but before it landed he had already ran a second through the gut. Harry had left his mind, and now what was left was simply death. Like a plague he began to sweep through the enemy ranks. They fell to his sword and wand alike. Shards of rock lifted off the ground and under his direction rained onto those in front of him. The beast attempted to shield themselves, but that only left the open to Harry's blade. He cleaved through two at once and then proceeded to eviscerate a third. The giants followed Harry, and encouraged by his acts swept into the enemy as well. They crushed the unprepared beasts underfoot and ripped them in two with their weapons. Still, non took more then Harry.  
  
Harry pressed into the mass of moving bodies. Ripping head from body and cutting limbs free as he went. Non could stop or slow him, a path of dead was all he left in his wake. Till soon he had reached the very center where the two lines touched. He turned back and waved his sword in the air. Like thunder the earth shook once more, only now it wasn't just the second division. The great doors of the dwarven kingdom had opened and the shield had been dropped. Now hundreds of dwarves poured out of the city and engaged the enemy that had turned to face the giants. Harry let out a howl that would have sent shivers down the devils back before continuing with the battle. He had by now pushed his way across the lines to the forest with a handful of giants at his side.  
  
The group crashed through the trees to find that the defense station had been abandoned. A quick look around told Harry all he needed to know, they had decided to put all available forces into breaking through the dwarven line. Harry dispatched orders and one of the giants raised a mighty club to crush the floating orb. Magical energy dissipated into the air and the defense pillars exploded leaving the enemy unprotected. Now Harry motioned towards the dwarven line and the first division turned their attention to pushing into the dwarven city.  
  
They crashed back into battle, and fought with renewed strength. Harry pushed ahead of his division, striking out at anything that got close. He could feel where the enemy stood, and for the first time he was aware of this perception.  
  
He spun around and brought his sword through a death eaters head. The man had tried to sneak up on him, now he had split him from the head to the navel. Somewhere in Harry's mind he recognized this as one of the men from the night last year, but nothing more than that. A blast from his wand knock down several standing in front of him and he took the opportunity to kill them before they rose. Harry pushed inside the massive stone building and ended up facing the magnificent sight of the dragons. Only now the inner dragons heads glowed red and moved. They cast balls of molten lava down on the enemy. Harry closed into the center of the courtyard where a larger beast warrior just finished killing a group who had approached him. The beast stood with dead bodies encircling him and a twisted grin on it's face.  
  
Harry locked eyes with the beast and the two began to approach each other. Some watched as the two face off. Their swords met and rebounded off each other as they traded blows. Harry cast a banishing spell and the creature was launched into the air. He gave chase and caught it while it was getting up. His blade arched through the air as he made to cleave it in two, but the beast countered and through Harry back. Harry smiled and launched into the attach once more. It stroke out at his shoulder and he blocked it, but not before it bit into his skin. A reverse strike struck his leg and he rolled to regain balance. The blades stroke again and forced the two to separate. Harry dove forward and sprang from his knees driving his blade through the beasts head from beneath the chin. A cheer went up, but Harry had already proceeded on into the mountain hall.  
  
He ran over the dead and struck out at those who stood in his way. Till he reached the center of a vast chamber. He heard voices a head of him and saw death eaters standing over a group of dwarves.  
  
"Have you secured the map?" Harry recognized the voice of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Yes sir, it has been secured." He had no idea what they were talking about, but some strange force was driving him forward to fight them. To get this map back. Not that he wouldn't have done it anyway, but now he seemed to have no choice.  
  
"Then, escape to the Portkey point and leave." Harry ran his shoulder into the last beast that was obstructing his path and dove between the unarmed dwarves and the death eaters.  
  
"Stop right there Lucius!!" Malfoy looked at the blood soaked figure in front of him. Harry was so coated in blood that Lucius could not recognize him. After a short pause it came to him who was standing before him.  
  
"Ah, Potter! I didn't expect to see you here. I suppose it's you we have to thank for this intrusion. No matter, we've gotten what we've come for." Harry's eyes grew darker as he watched Malfoy senior.  
  
"You may have gotten it, but you won't be leaving with it." Malfoy just laughed, he was about to tell his fellow death eaters to attack when he had a better idea.  
  
"Oh I think you'll be to busy for that Potter." Lucius picked a hunk of rubble off the ground and withdrew a small crystal from his pocket. Harry watched as he slid the glowing crystal into the rock, then he threw the rock on the ground.  
  
The rock seemed to shift and grow in size exponentially till a giant rock gollem the size of a large giant stood in the hall. The death eaters turned and ran from the hall.  
  
A battle raged inside him about what to do. Something was trying to force him to forget the unarmed dwarves and go after the death eaters, but he knew he wanted to protect them. After a moment, something relented and he focused of the rock creature.  
  
The beast slammed a rock fist into the floor and Harry dove out of the way. His wand flashed as he shot fire spells that seemed to deflect from the rock. Nothing worked as he began to lead the rock away from the dwarves and back out into the courtyard. Both ally and enemy gave him a wide birth as he dodged the creatures attacks. He could tell his magic was weakening, his force spells did less damage and chipped away less rock.  
  
Harry dove between the creatures legs a swung at it's left one. The sword crushed through the rock and shattered it, but it seemed to grow back together before the creature fell. Harry blocked the creatures arm, but the force through him backwards and into a statue. He struggled to his feet and attacked again. He was getting no where, the creature wasn't really alive, how could he kill it?  
  
Still for some reason it did feel alive. Perhaps it wasn't the rock that was alive, but the crystal. Harry dove out of the way of it's fist, but it struck a glancing blow that was sure to dislocate his shoulder. With all his strength Harry focused on his wand and released a massive reducto curse. The spell struck the giant rock beast and it's chest exploded outwards. Shards of rock cut into Harry and ripped his skin so that his own blood joined that which was already covering his body.  
  
There, imbedded in the center of the rock beasts chest, was the crystal. Harry lunged in towards the rock beast and his sword shattered the crystal. The creature seemed to loose cohesion and the rocks slid off one another.  
  
Harry rose from the ground to and found that most of the enemy had been driven back. However there was no longer any sign of the death eaters. He had no doubt that they had escaped along with whatever map they were after.  
  
He rejoined his division still fighting outside the gates and they worked to corner the rest of the beasts. No quarter was given, all were cleansed.  
  
***  
  
4:00 A.M. Other perspective  
  
***  
  
"This is it, we must stand here!" Dumbledore shouted once they had reached their lines once more. But the battle for them would never come.  
  
The ground began to shake and a battle cry went up from across the valley. The earth shook as giants stormed out of the mountain pass. The beasts had stopped their pursuit to watch the army seemingly flying down the hill.  
  
It was a sight that would strike fear into the hearts of any who saw it, yes the giants were fierce. In the lead of the charge was a boy, no a man, dressed in white. He drove the giants into a frenzy and seemingly fly down the hill. A massive sword was clutched in his hand, yet he wielded it like it were light.  
  
In a instant Dumbledore as well as everyone else who knew him, knew who this boy was. He came with power and struck the enemy with speed that was almost in human. Nothing usually surprises Albus Dumbledore, but to see the boy charge into battle like a demon was something that took even him back.  
  
Sirius shook when he saw the boy charging down the hill, be it with fear or pride, he would never tell. Remus just shook his head with a sad expression on his face. He truly knew the innocence that had been lost for the boy that now struck out into battle.  
  
"That's Harry Potter!" A cry went up from some disbelieving wizard who had taken out a pair of omnioculars.  
  
Dumbledore rushed to where he saw Rita snapping pictures. He stood in her way in a attempt to stop her from continuing.  
  
"What would you prefer me to print? Pictures of your lines being turned? Pictures of the enemy charging back to kill those who fought for the light? Or, Pictures of the Wizarding worlds savior, driving a army of giants and crushing the darkness underfoot? Which do you think will gather you more support?" Dumbledore looked at her for a moment, then he stepped to the side to allow her to continue. He knew this would only mean more pain for the boy, but it was something the Wizarding world definitely needed.  
  
The beasts turned in their pursuit to return and help with the battle now raging on the other side.  
  
"Give chase! We will stop them here!" Now Dumbledore knew what Harry had planned, it was a brilliant move. Now the enemy would be crushed from either side. Later he would look back on this battle and see the pure beauty of Harry's attack.  
  
With that the light turned once more, and under the knowledge that the savior of the Wizarding world had come to aid the battle the fought with renewed strength.  
  
******  
  
Aftermath  
  
Day 4, 12:00 P.M.  
  
******  
  
It was mid morning when Harry struck down the last of the enemy. He stood there on a mound of the dead. His mind cleared a bit now that the battle was over, and pain seemed to spill back into him from wherever it had hid.  
  
A cheer rose around him as giant, dwarf, and the occasional wizard screamed in victory. But Harry was sick to his stomach, he didn't feel much like celebrating. He stumbled to the wall and sat down next to it, his sword leaned up against the wall forming a triangle for him to sit under. A misty rain began to fall and Harry looked down at his once white robes. Now they were stained black and red. They would never return to their original color. Just like him in a way, he would never return to his original color.  
  
A dwarf walked up to him carrying something in his hands. Harry recognized the crest of the commander of the dwarven army.  
  
"You'll be want in this laddy." The dwarf through his a small necklace, the gold medallion featured a sword through the center of a skull.  
  
"What's this for?" Harry didn't really want this, it was stained in blood and he didn't really want a reminder of the battle.  
  
"It's yours by battle. It's the medallion of the enemy commander. Oh sure, he wasn't a wizard, but you could tell who the beasts really got their orders from. They may have listened to the wizards, but they looked to that one before acting. You killed him in the courtyard, though I suppose that doesn't give you much. You killed a lot out there today. Don't believe I've ever seen someone fight like you. You've got the fires of the war god's forge in your veins. You protected the clan elders I hear as well. They'll be want in to talk to you. That can wait though. They'll be very busy. Some of your kind is look in for you." Harry got up and hoisted his sword once more.  
  
Harry wasn't sure he wanted to see anyone right now, truth be told he just wanted to sleep. Still he had duties that had to be handled before he could leave. He nodded to the dwarf and then left to rejoin the giants.  
  
When he reached them they gave him a new look. They looked at him with respect, and in some cases they reconsidered his words at the council. Many came to the conclusion that they wouldn't want to be on the opposite side of the field as him. Harry took Torag to the side.  
  
"Hell of a fight." Torag spoke plainly, but his words said so much.  
  
"I'm trusting you to lead them back to the city, I have things that I've got to do back at Hogwarts." Torag looked at Harry carefully before speaking.  
  
"No one ever said being a man would be easy Oxgor. Most of the time it means you have to make the tough choices. That is what separates a man from a child really. Knowing the consequences and making the choices because they have to be made. Make the right choices Oxgor, because as you said, your choices will affect those who can't make them yet. Build a brighter world now." Torag turned and walked back to the giants. Many of them gave him a salute, then they slipped off the battlefield as quickly as they had come.  
  
Harry moved through the fallen soldiers till he came across someone he didn't expect to see.  
  
"Hello Hagrid. Glad to see your all right." The half giant turned and then enveloped Harry in a hug. Harry nearly lost his sword by the force of the giant.  
  
"'Arry, I was worried about yeh." Harry just nodded, it was a mutual concern that didn't need to be expressed in words.  
  
"Are we headed back to Hogwarts?" The half giant face turned sad.  
  
"Actually arry I don't plan ter go back ter Hogwarts. I'm going ter return ter the giant city. I need to speak with me mum Harry. It's something I gotta do." Harry nodded, he understood to well. If he had a chance to meet his mum he would take it.  
  
"Than you best hurry then. The giants have already stated towards the mountain path. I'll see you soon though. I'll have to Apparate up there once and a while. Now that I know how to." Hagrid nodded and gave Harry one last hug before heading towards the path.  
  
Harry headed through the battlefield to search for his friends. Dead faces looked at him from the ground, but it was the figure ahead that really got his attention.  
  
"Remus, I see you didn't stay out of this after all." The werewolf turned to look at his young friend. He saw a man covered in blood, scared by battle. He saw eyes that had seen the enemy, this was what he wanted to prevent.  
  
"I'm glad you survived Harry, you know it's being said that it was your attack that swung the battle. They toast your name back at the camp." Harry grimaced, this was the last thing he wanted.  
  
"Then they'd toast the name of a murderer? They'd toast the name of someone who has orphaned children just as was done to him?" Harry knew full well that he had killed wizards as well as the beast warriors.  
  
"No, they toast a conquering champion. One who offered hope when they could only see night." Harry laughed, it was a dry laugh at best.  
  
"Then I guess a person can be both, for that is what I am." Remus sighed, there was no use arguing with Harry when he was in a mood like this. His morals were to staunch sometimes.  
  
"Sirius and Dumbledore are looking for you." This was another meeting Harry didn't want to face, but he would do it none the less.  
  
Together they made they're way back behind their lines. No one recognized the blood soaked young man as the white warrior who charged down the mountain. His green eyes were the only thing that wasn't red on him.  
  
"Remus, have you found him?" It hurt that Sirius wouldn't even recognize him. He easily saw through Sirius's disguise. Did he really look that different.  
  
"If I'm who your talking about, than I suppose he has." Sirius turned his gaze to the young man who stood next to him. He suppressed a shudder at his appearance and then hugged him like he hadn't seen him in years.  
  
"Harry, what were you thinking?" Harry grimaced a bit, a combination of the wounds that Sirius aggravated and the fact that he would treat him like a child.  
  
"I was thinking how best to defeat the enemy. What were you thinking?" Sirius caught Harry's innuendo.  
  
"Not just wait one moment, you have no right to interfere. Your to young to be fighting." Harry grimaced once more, and he noticed that Remus was trying to change the subject.  
  
"Yes, those who stood in my way probably thought the same way. Won't make that mistake again will they?" It was Sirius turn to grimace. They would have continued if it hadn't been for Dumbledore and Rita.  
  
"It is good to see you well Mr. Potter. I was just telling Rita about your being named the ambassador to the giant's." Dumbledore didn't seem to react to Harry's dress, but Rita did end up taking a picture. Whether it was suitable for newspaper would be a question the Daily Prophet would have to answer.  
  
"I'd love to talk, but I'm worn out and I need to stop be the med tent. Perhaps we could do this back at Hogwarts." Dumbledore smiled and then took Rita away. Before Sirius could speak again Harry interrupted him.  
  
"I meant you to. Not all this blood is my enemies you know." Harry turned and left his two friends behind.  
  
"I want to have some words with you Remus." Sirius spoke with a deadly voice and the two walked off in the opposite direction.  
  
Harry was treated to a shower and a fresh set of robes while he was given medical attention. The water ran red with a mixture of his and the enemies blood as he rinsed himself clean. He prayed this would be the last time he had to soak out blood from his hair. But deep down inside he knew that it wouldn't.  
  
***  
  
Two figures sat along the wall of the dwarven city. One the leader of those who arrived to fight with the light side. The other the chief elder of the dwarves.  
  
"I fear what will happen now that the map is in his hands. If he were to find.." The dwarf trailed off.  
  
"Yes, but there is hope. One of the brothers has already worked it's way into the Dark Lords path. If you ask me it chose wisely. Once it's brother joins it, nothing will stop them." The leader looked towards the lines of the celebrating wizards. Those who he brought with him had already disappeared. Now it was only Dumbledore's forces on the other side of the valley.  
  
"And if worse comes to worse?"  
  
"As I said, It chose wisely. I believe he will do what must be done. If it happens, we will be there. It has always been our duty."  
  
******  
  
A/N: Damn that was long, I can't believe how long this one is. Remember, reviews make the writer happy. I hope you all appreciate the battle. It was all grandious and such.  
  
Chaser: Hope you liked the chapter!  
  
DaBear: Yes, Voldie has to die. Either die, or go through some type of psychiatric counseling. Probably both.  
  
Bob33 : Thanks for the review : )  
  
sew2100: Thank you muchly!  
  
Wquad: Thanks for reviewing!  
  
LIEDRAL: Thanks, Glad you liked the update  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: I hope the war doesn't destroy Harry either. But when you think about it, how can war not destroy a person?  
  
Mel-chan: Thanks for the compliments, thats really high praise! I really pride myself on my character development and the battles. Thanks for noticing!  
  
Otaku freak : Thanks for the review, glad you like the story!  
  
MYSIA: Thanks for the review! I'll try to update more often.  
  
Angelis: Glad you liked it and sorry about the wait. I don't get to use the Internet much, that's why I like to make the chapters longer. Hope you enjoy this one as well.  
  
Rogue1615: Yeah, I haven't found to many serious war fics. And sometimes when I do they start filling it with mary sues. I find that war fics can be some of the most powerful, because there is nothing more powerful than war. War forces change and restructures life through violence. You can use war to portray powerful emotions.  
  
Maxennce: I really wanted to get away from the little boy stuck in the closet. I think Harry has seen those simpler days torn apart, and he is searching for some control. We all try to structure the world according to our wills, I think it's time Harry started putting his two cents in.  
  
Naomi SilverWolf: Thanks for the Review, Hope you like the chapter.  
  
ShadowHunter: Yeah something that really bothers me is when Authors just go hazy on things that we know are going to be happening. I really like to be thorough when I cover things.  
  
Lynlyn: Yeah cannibalistic, Voldemort is scary! But he's already gone all snake like so I figure it's just the next step. The sword was something that I sorta had planned. I wanted Harry to receive it from the giants, but It wouldn't make sense for giants to be giving out human size swords. I think that if they did have swords they would be ..well.giant swords. So no it didn't really come from anything, but what I would consider logic.  
  
Namwolf: Yeah I like this kind of Harry to, but how could he not change. He found that from just a small decision like sharing the cup got cedric killed. I think he's realizzed the significance of little things as well as life.  
  
Anja: Thanks for the review and the complement! I appreciate it!  
  
jorge: Nope, this is a full year story, not just summer time. I am a firm believer that in our perfect world, adventures come to a close before the train leaves in the summer. As for relationships, I have some unique things planned, but they definitely aren't the normal. Though he may be with a couple of the normal pairings at different points. Still, I can't imagine Harry liking a clingy girl. So I don't write clingy girlfriends. i.e. "Oh Harry you can't do that alone. I'm going with you." "But it's to dangerous." "I don't care, we'll face it together." GRRR.. How pathetic is that!!!  
  
Kathleen: Glad you like it! Giant culture was something that I really thought out before I started righting it. And I'm glad you got the middle earth vibe. Tolkien is one of my biggest influences. There are others like Hagrid out there, but I picture them as sporadic wanders. We may see others like him and Madame Maxime, but I think the majority try to stay away from public. ---Yeah, That's going to be a big thing for Hagrid. But it may take a while. Hagrids going to have a tough time approaching her. She's the mother who never had anything to do with him, but they're still family. Not to mention she's in a position a authority. I get the impression from the books that Hagrid remained with his father and never got to know his mother. Hagrid has a gentle heart and this will be a tough thing for him.  
  
VampireLover: Thanks for the review!  
  
J: Yeah Harry and Albus have a bit of conflict coming up. But I don't picture Albus as a bad guy. I think he just wants to protect Harry, but Harry's struggling to come into his own, and protect himself. Dumbledore will have to reevaluate how to treat Harry now that Harry has shown himself a man. You don't treat a adult and a child the same way. A new balance will be struck out between the two.  
  
Darvio: Sorry for the wait, I don't get to use the internet much. So I at least make the chapters extra long.  
  
Kaelli Karali : Thanks, I try to make my chapters cliff hangers, without really stopping in the middle of something important. I prefer people to wonder what happens next.  
  
ender2000: Hoped you liked the chapter! Thanks a lot for the review!  
  
Alia West : Just to let you know, you reviewed just as I was gettin ready to put this up! Yeah, Harry is a bit Cold hearted, but there is more involved with that then we know right now. There is a bit of a tinge of that in this chapter. Especially at the end of this chapter. Do you think I'm pushing a higher rating? I try not to be to specific. Ok, so maybe I get carried away sometime. It's tastefully done though. Artistic violence really. I think I'm making excuses, now I can't stop typing to myself. OH MY!!! 


	10. Chapter 9: Uncertain Paths

Disclaimer: Nobody knows the troubles I've seen, Nobody knows my sorrow. But I think everyone knows that Harry Potter isn't mine  
  
Harry Potter and the Call to War!  
  
Chapter 9: Uncertain Paths  
  
******  
  
August 21st, Tuesday  
  
******  
  
A Hogwarts shower, nothing like them. No matter how long you stay in the shower it always remains the perfect temperature. Never wavers a single degree, and seems to soothe all achy muscles within minutes.  
  
The water rushed over Harry's body as he showered for the fifth time. Now back at Hogwarts he had settled into a small guest room near the teachers quarters. It had only been 4 or 5 ours since they had left the battleground. Most returned to Hogwarts, though some went off on their own ways. Part of his mind wondered where Hagrid was. Hopefully the half giant would get a chance to speak with his mother. Harry didn't blame Hagrid for not returning with the rest. If he had been given a chance to see his mother he would leap at it in a moment.  
  
From the moment Harry port keyed back to the castle he was caught up in a whir of people. Apparently Sirius was quite successful in contacting those Dumbledore needed. The castle was alive with guests arriving for a alumni meeting scheduled for just before the start of term. It would be interesting to see what Dumbledore would say to all these people to gain the support he was after. Still, Harry had chosen to go to his room instead of mingling with the large crowd that was continually growing.  
  
So Harry stole away through a secret passage so as not to be noticed and made his way to the room set aside for him. The castle seemed gloomier, almost like a cloud had settled over it, or maybe it was only he who saw the reality around him. Perhaps the castle itself was telling him it didn't want him there, this was fine with him because this was one of the last places he wanted to be. It's not that he didn't love Hogwarts, he just wasn't ready to go back to living a closed in life. If he had learned anything about himself this summer, it was that he had a taste for a traveling life. Probably because of his confinement at the Dursley's, but for now he just wanted to be out in the open.  
  
He hung his sword off one of the posts on his bed, then began to unpack his small pack. His trunk had already been brought ahead of him and was at the base of the bed in the small room. Harry set his tattered and blood soaked robes to the side so a house elf could attempt to clean the retched stench out of the previously new garments. He came across the small medal badge that had been presented to him after the battle and cringed. It was stained reddish bronze from the blood of it's previous owner. Harry hung it by the mirror and after catching a look at his appearance he choose to take a shower.  
  
That is where we find him now, trying to clean away memories as well as stains. He had already made his decision that he wouldn't be able to stay at Hogwarts. At least not throughout the whole year. He had duties to attend to, both in the giant world and the magical world. Soon he would be going into a debriefing meeting with Dumbledore. He would inform the Headmaster afterwards of his plans. The fact that he had completed his Apparation training would aid him in his travels. He only hoped the Headmaster would not object.  
  
Harry shut the water off and reentered his bedroom. The House Elves had already had a go at some of his clothes. Some had returned, others had not. Harry threw on a pair of green travel robes and dried his hair. He secured his wand onto his gloves and pulled on his boats. He was about to leave for the debriefing when the door opened before he could reach it.  
  
Sirius Black and Remus Lupin entered the room and blocked Harry's path. Remus seemed to have a apologetic look on his face but Sirius had one that demanded answers.  
  
"All right Harry, It's time we talked about this. What were you thinking? Dumbledore sent you to stay out of trouble, not to put yourself in harms way. That was very foolish of you to just go off like that." Harry's scowl stopped Sirius from ranting. Harry had already reasoned that Dumbledore had tried to keep him out of trouble. Instead, however, he had placed him directly in the path once more. Frankly Harry was beginning to doubt Dumbledore's motives over everything.  
  
"Don't start with me Sirius, I was doing what I deemed best." And it was for the best, he had protected the dwarves, even if Voldemort had attained his goal.  
  
"Harry don't you realize that we're just trying to protect you. We just want you to live a care free childhood like ours." Now Harry was becoming seriously pissed off, and all the while Remus stayed silent and backed away from the two.  
  
"Well I guess your a bit late for that now aren't you? I can take care of myself Sirius, I don't need someone looking over my shoulder. As for a childhood, your a bit late for that as well." Sirius through his hands in the air in frustration.  
  
"Harry, I can't let you put yourself at risk like that. I forbid you from getting involved again." Who was he to forbid him from doing anything.  
  
"Just who do you think you are Sirius Black. You have no right to tell me to do anything."  
  
"I'm your godfather, that's what right I have. I'm only doing what's best for you." Now there voices had reached a yelling decibel.  
  
"No, you gave up that right a long time ago Sirius. You gave up that right when you left me with the Dursley's." Remus cringed a bit, they were getting into areas that he knew really bothered Harry. He knew that Sirius shouldn't open this can, both Harry and Sirius would only get hurt from it.  
  
"I was in hell for goodness sake. What did you expect me to do?" Now there was no backing down, it was time they got this out in the open.  
  
"You were in hell? That's right and my life was just peachy. You think you lived through nightmares? My every God damn day was a bloody nightmare. You lived in a cell, well I lived in a bloody cupboard. You think you got starved, I was lucky to get a meal once every four days. I spent my life being told I was a worthless freak, that my parents were freaks. That I was worthless, and should be grateful for the treatment I got because I deserved worse. The Dursley's were my Dementors, only I couldn't escape you bastard. I couldn't up and decide to leave. So screw you Sirius Black!" Sirius looked a bit taken back, but he wasn't going to back down either.  
  
"What did you want me to do, come and rescue you? I lived my life blaming myself for what happened to your parents! My best friend dies and I blamed myself. You don't know what it's like to feel responsible for the death of someone you love." Though Sirius was angry you could tell he was close to breaking down.  
  
"You don't think I blame myself, You don't think I feel responsible for the deaths of my parents, for Cedric, for all the others Voldemort decides to kill. It's my blood in his veins and damn you to hell if you don't think I feel just as guilty as you for every person he kills. For every family he destroys. You want to talk about guilt, let's talk about the things you are responsible for. You should feel guilty about leaving your last friend to believe that he was alone. That he had no one left to look to every month. You owed it to him to tell him the truth even if you felt guilty. You should feel guilty for leaving your responsibility, your god child alone in the world with no one to turn to. Those are the lives you ruined Sirius. Those are the lives you had a chance to save but threw it away. And yeah I would have wanted you to come and rescue me. But instead of breaking out for me or Remus you broke out for Pettigrew. You broke out because you wanted revenge on the bloody rat. I would have gone with you even if I didn't know you were my godfather. You made your choice with what you wanted then, you can't change it now. You aren't in any position to tell me what to do." Sirius let his head fall to his chest. The both of them had been defeated and hurt.  
  
"I didn't think that I deserved to be in either of your lives. But that doesn't mean I didn't want to protect you Harry. If things hadn't happened the way they did that night I would have killed Pettigrew and left right then. God Harry, I may not deserve it but I want to be able to protect you. I need to make it up to James, I need to make it up to you."  
  
"We're never going to have a normal relationship. But perhaps we can build from where we are. You just have to respect my wishes as I will try to respect yours. If you want to try and protect me then fine, but realize that I am still going to do what I have to. You'll just have to try to work with me instead of forbidding me all together. I meant it when I said I would come with you Sirius, I think I still would. But unless we're going to actually spend time together I don't think I want to be around you. I can't live with just a letter here and there, I just can't do that anymore. Either your going to be a large part of my life Sirius or your not going to be in it at all. That's the only deal I can offer to you." Remus anxiously awaited Sirius's decision.  
  
"Harry I don't know if I deserve to be a big part of your life. If that's all your offering than I'm going to try I guess." Harry looked directly into his godfathers eyes.  
  
"I don't want you to try, either you do or you don't" Harry turned and took his sword off the bedpost and left for the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Well, that went about as well as I expected." Remus stood up and walked to Sirius.  
  
"Remus, why doesn't he understand?" Remus shook his head, Sirius wasn't prepared for what he got into at all.  
  
"He doesn't need a parent right now Sirius, he needs a friend."  
  
"But he's my godson, I shouldn't let him get into danger like that." Remus turned towards the door.  
  
"Do you think he wants you to put yourself at risk. He doesn't have that many people to begin with. But he understands that something's just have to be done. That there are risks that must be taken." Sirius just shook his head.  
  
"I just couldn't bare to loose him." Remus turned and put his hand on his friends shoulder.  
  
"I know, I don't know if I could bare to loose him either. You just got to be able to have faith that he can take care of himself." Sirius and Remus left the room through a secret passage to the meeting with the headmaster.  
  
******  
  
The gateway to the Headmaster's office opened without a password when Harry approached it. The Headmaster had told it to allow certain people through for the meeting he had prepared. When he reached the top of the spiral staircase he pushed to doors open and entered the Headmasters office. Several chairs had been set out for the meeting, but none of them were currently occupied.  
  
Harry chose one in the back of the room, concealed in the shadows of the firelight so that he could watch those who entered the room with out them seeing him unless they looked for him.  
  
Within five minutes Arthur Weasley, and several heads of various departments that Harry vaguely recognized entered the room and took seats near the front of the room. Than came Remus Lupin followed by Sirius Black under the same disguise he had used during the battle. Next to enter the room was Severus Snape. The sneering potions teacher surveyed the room and then took a seat on the opposite side of Lupin and Black. A dwarf came next, one who Harry vaguely remembered seeing on the battlefield. The next was a man Harry didn't recognize, but he could already tell the man knew how to handle himself.  
  
Still, the one man Harry expected to see in the debriefing, Albus Dumbledore, was strangely absent. Groups began to talk together and Harry did his best to ease drop, he even went as far as casting a sensory charm to hear better, but it seemed some of them were using charms to hide their conversations.  
  
Fifteen minutes later to entrance opened and in walked a noticeably weary Headmaster. The older man made his way to his desk and sat down. Harry noticed that the twinkle had disappeared from the Headmasters eyes.  
  
"I am sorry for the delay, but I received some bad news that had to be verified. I will be quite frank, the battle we fought was more than just a attempt to obtain a item that Voldemort wanted. It was in fact a cover for a even larger attack led by Voldemort himself. At the onset of the battle it has been confirmed that Voldemort left. At the time we didn't know the purpose. Now we know, while our forces were diverted Voldemort led several thousand of the strange beasts encountered in the mountains on a invasion of main land Europe. I have confirmed that most of mainland France has fallen. The French ministry is in ruins, pockets of resistance are scattered throughout the country. Most of Frances forces have fallen back to Beauxbatons school of magic and other defensible strongholds. They have begun to fortify structures with additional wards and seal them off from Voldemorts forces. Luckily the fighting has stayed inside magical areas. Though certain sections of Muggle France have been declared unsafe." Instantly most of the room was on their feet, asking what was to be done. Harry stayed seated, he knew that there was really nothing they could do. Not in this stage at least.  
  
"Unfortunately we cannot offer aid at the moment. We do not have the forces available, nor are we prepared for this." Arthur Weasley stood and Dumbledore acknowledged him.  
  
"What of the ministries, certainly someone has offered some support?" A general murmur of agreement follow the statement.  
  
"Unfortunately that is not the case. Voldemort did not come into the open therefore not only hasn't our ministry acknowledged the threat, they have released a statement proclaiming this a non international emergency. Because these unique creatures have only publicly been reported in France most other countries are following suit." This did bother Harry, not only did they not acknowledge Voldemort's return, they chose to offer no help whatsoever.  
  
"What is to be done Albus?" Harry didn't envy Dumbledore one bit, this was a decision that only a leader could truly appreciate.  
  
"We must wait and see. It will be up to the French to openly petition for international assistance. Until then, I don't see us being able to make a move one way or another." No one liked this answer, but they knew that Albus knew what he was doing. Harry's thoughts turned to Madam Maxime, she would have left for her school the second she reached Hogwarts. She would have arrived at the beginning of the attack. Hopefully she was safe at her school.  
  
"We have other matters to discuss. It is my pleasure to introduce, Samuel Stonecutter, the dwarves have been kind enough to send him to answer any questions as well as shed some light upon Voldemort's activity's. So I turn this over to him."  
  
The burly dwarf stood and Harry noticed that he wasn't the only one to bring a weapon to the meeting. The dwarf had brought a battle ax along with him.  
  
"First, I would like to give thanks to all of you from the Dwarves of Tavin's Hall. We are in your debt for aiding us. We would also like to give a special thanks to the emissary of the giants." The dwarf gave Harry a nod, and Harry returned one. Many in the room turned and got there first look at him since the battle. Many wondered if it was wise allowing a child into a important meeting. Then their thought would turn to wondering whether a child could still be considered a child after doing the things they saw this one do.  
  
Severus Snape smirked a bit when he saw the boy. Potter had definitely tasted life. You could see it in the eyes. They still had there depth and luster, but the intensity in them had been driven to new heights. They were eyes that could turn deathly cold if need be. Eyes that could detach themselves from what they were doing, severing sympathy altogether. Eyes that have seen blood. This was no child anymore, he was a man.  
  
"I have been sent to inform you of the object that was stolen. They were after a map that had been entrusted to us for longer than our history records. There once was a organization for the sole purpose of protecting magical artifacts that couldn't fall into the worlds hands. Objects that brought to much of a risk for evil that it out weighed the good. Very few know what that map portrayed the location of, and none have laid eyes on that map since it's creation. The order ,after hiding the object and creating the map, used strong memory charms to erase knowledge of it's location. Then they entrusted the map to us." One of the department heads threw his hands in the air.  
  
"So that's it then, You Know Who is on his way to claiming a object of great power and no one knows where he is." The dwarf scowled at the man till he sat back down.  
  
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. They entrusted the map to us, however before doing so they cast a spell over the map so that it wouldn't reveal itself except on the first minute of the first hour of each new year. On that minute you must expose the map to the direct light of the moon. The moonlight will then make the map visible for one day. Traditionally we would seal the gates of the mountain so it wouldn't even be a temptation, but now the map has fallen into evil hands. The map will on that night reveal the location of the black dragon helm." Most in the room stared at the man in confusion. However the man Harry didn't recognize stood up.  
  
"The black dragon helm, that's just a myth. The tale of the helm that could awaken the sleeping black dragon army is just a superstition." Albus waved the man back to his seat.  
  
"If what you say is true than we must get that map back, or at least find the helm before Voldemort does. I will have some people begin researching this immediately. Those who can should begin searching the Ministry archives for information. I believe I once heard of another way to find the helm, I will look into that as well." There was a general murmur of agreement as people considered what had been said. The man who had voiced his opinion gave Dumbledore a skeptical look.  
  
"Now I believe it timely for those involved to begin there reports from the battlefield."  
  
While they began to give accounts of what Harry watched from above Harry began to ponder what he had learned. The helm seemed important, but there was more going on then just that. It wasn't the immediate danger. The fact that Voldemort now had free reign to develop his army unchecked was just as big a threat. Dragon army or no dragon army, Voldemort had gained a foothold in magical Europe.  
  
This war would be drastically different from the previous. They were now fighting a land battle. No longer would it be terrorist style attacks. Voldemort could now gather armies and launch full scale attacks. Even more dangerous was that they were fighting two wars at the same time. The big war against Voldemort, and the small war against Voldemort's supporters who had placed themselves in positions to thwart any opposition. As long as people like Lucius Malfoy had power there would be no hope of victory. Someone would have to remedy that.  
  
Yet when they talked about the helm, something rumbled within him. Almost as if some part of him growled when they mentioned it.  
  
Harry caught snatches of the conversations and noticed they had reached the point when he had charged. Dumbledore turned to him expectantly so he began to tell them how he had gotten word that Voldemort would be moving. He explained his tactical planing and how he had chosen to wait until it was in his advantage to attack. Nobody questioned why he had become the emissary to the giants so he assumed Remus had already explained. Harry told them of his communications with the dwarves and how he organized the assault. Then after he finished with his field commands he gave Dumbledore a look that said he was finished.  
  
He didn't really want to talk about it that much. At the time it was something that had to be done, there is no need to revel in the fact that you took an other's life. He wouldn't discuss how he killed so many out there. They knew what they needed to know, nothing more.  
  
The meeting continued on till everyone had told their version of the events that transpired the previous few days. Dumbledore sat patiently until he decided it was time to end the meeting.  
  
"I thank you all for gathering, I trust most of you will be remaining in the castle. So, if I have further need I will summon you at that time." Everyone took their cue to leave and filtered out of the room. Now only Harry and the man he didn't recognize remained. Harry waited for this man to speak to Dumbledore again. He would gather whatever he could.  
  
"Albus, I urge you again, we must take control of the forces in the ministry. Especially now that He Who Must Not Be Named has gained control of France. We cannot afford to stand with a divided force. We must .. remove.. those that could potentially hurt our cause." The Headmaster just shook his head.  
  
"I have told you once David, we must not act so harshly. You are here to teach defense to the students, allow me to worry about Voldemort for now." The man Harry now knew was the defense teacher stormed out of the room.  
  
Harry stood from his chair and lifted the sword back onto his back, then he approached his Headmaster.  
  
"Ah! Mr. Potter, I am glad to see you are well. I must also say Mr. Lupin has informed me of your exploits in the mountains. I am quite surprised and pleased by the turn of events. Although perhaps it would be best if you hand the sword to another. The sword." Harry wouldn't allow the Headmaster to do this. Something inside him was furious that he would even dare separate him from the sword. So he finished the Headmasters statement for him.  
  
"stays with me." Harry's words carried a finality that Dumbledore usually used. The Headmaster gave a great sigh.  
  
"I had already assumed that would be your answer, though I hoped to dissuade you from that particular path. Very Well. Is there anything else I can help you with." Harry hadn't expected the Headmaster to acquiesce so easily. Still, now that he had the advantage he would use it.  
  
"I have decided that I won't be beginning at the start of term. Perhaps I will return during the year, but I don't think this is the place for me right now. Don't get me wrong Hogwarts is my home, I just.. I need to do some things on my own right now." The Headmasters smile had faded and he turned serious.  
  
"I'm not sure I can allow what your asking Mr. Potter. It is dangerous right now and I need you where I can ensure your protection." Harry shook his head.  
  
"I wasn't asking for your permission. However, is there anyway I can work this out with you?" Harry was willing to work with the Headmaster, as long as they came to a mutual agreement.  
  
"Well, the school work would be tough. Still, Remus has informed me that you worked diligently this summer and are already quite ahead of your year mates in certain areas. Perhaps if you came back to Hogwarts at least once a month for equivalency tests we might be able to keep you in attendance. As I cannot stop you from leaving, though I would prefer you to stay, you may be able to work on something for me." Now Harry had caught what the old man was doing. Dumbledore would give in to the request to leave for awhile, but he would be used once more in exchange.  
  
"Fine." Harry made sure the headmaster knew he wasn't pleased with the arrangement, but that he would submit anyway.  
  
"Very well, then let me first give you this." The Headmaster pulled a small ring box out of his desk. Inside was a plan gold band.  
  
"I give this to all my agents in the field, it is a way that you could be alerted in case you are needed to be recalled without drawing suspicion. It is useful for operatives who are in ..sensitive.. locations." Harry inwardly groaned, just what had he gotten himself into.  
  
"It will begin to glow to the wearers eyes only when it is activated. It has no tracing or port key charms on it at all, so it will offer you no defense. Many areas are warded to detect devices caring tracing charms or port keys. Now on to business." Finally he would cut to the chase.  
  
"I have given two other agents orders to locate and capture a death eater that is very important to us. Generally I would not include you into something as dangerous as this. But your prior knowledge of the situation allows us to cut out unnecessary explanations." Even though the Headmaster was using him, Harry almost jumped for joy. He would be working with his godfather as well as good friend.  
  
"Sir will I be working with Sirius and Remus? And am I correct in assuming we'll be after Petigrew?" The Headmaster smiled a bit.  
  
"First I can neither confirm nor deny that Sirius or Remus are the to agent. This is for security reasons you must understand. As long as I don't tell you specifically who the other agents are you can't identify them under truth serum or spell. You will not be working with the agents per say. It will be your job to cover our agents while conducting a investigation of your own. You will be give Profiles for the agents containing three pictures in each profile. The agents will be using Poly Juice, and as I'm sure your aware of that potion so I will not explain. The hairs come from six living people so you will be able to truthfully not Know for sure if the agents are agents or the real people. I know this may seem a bit much, but secrecy is pivotal. The agents will be leaving in two days after the assembly which I expect you to attend." Harry nodded and accepted the two folders given to him.  
  
"I included the rough ideas where information can be gathered as well as where you may be able to locate the other two agents. If a emergency occurs the agents will send a distress signal. That distress signal will also activate your ring if it is within a preset proximity. If that occurs your ring will glow red. That is all, I expect you to be prepared for this by the time you leave." Harry nodded and then left the office to begin going over the information given to him.  
  
Only now did he realize the size of the task set before him. Not only was he responsible for keeping up with his school work, he would have to cover two agents as well as investigate on his own. He would be very busy.  
  
Harry walked into the hallway while contemplating what was set before him. It would be tough keeping up with his class but he was up to the task. Actually he learned better out of the classroom.  
  
"He doesn't really get it, you know." Harry spun around, his wand in hand and pointed at who ever was behind him. When he recognized the DADA teacher he let his guard back down.  
  
"And what would 'it' be?" The teacher pushed off from the wall and Harry took the moment to size him up. He was in much better shape than Moody, and he moved like he knew how to handle himself. HE had medium length brown hair and stood around six foot.  
  
" 'It' would be the fact that we don't stand a chance. At least not with enemies in our midst. Sabotaging us from the inside while we do our best with cut resources." Harry understood what the man was talking about. Still, Dumbledore always had a plan and reason, even if he tended to use people to get it accomplished.  
  
"Perhaps, but what would you have him do about it?" The teacher gave Harry a sizing look than continued. Perhaps it was the fact that he had a large weapon strapped to his back, but people seemed to treat him more like the adult he was.  
  
"I can tell something about you Potter. It's in your mannerisms actually, your a man of action. You don't like to sit back, you like to be in the thick of things making the difference." The teacher stared at him for a moment longer and then continued.  
  
"In the olden days when kings and dukes controlled provinces they had similar problems. Nobility would arise and under law be untouchable. So sometimes, when the nobility was away from the watchful eye of those in charge they would mistreat or take advantage of the commoners and their position. Since nobility was above the law, the commoners would petition the king for king's justice. Now the kings justice was silent justice. He would send his chosen man to investigate, and if something was found amiss, it would be that man's job to administer punishment. Whatever that might be. This way the commoners gained justice and the nobility was spared the tarnished reputation." Harry caught the mans drift, and he wasn't entirely sure he disagreed. There were all to many untouchables in high positions. Those who walked around hurting people, but the law didn't apply for them.  
  
"What your talking about sounds like a assassins work?"  
  
"Sometimes justice doesn't come in normal forms, sometimes rules must be bent to keep the piece. Sometimes silent justice is better than no justice at all." Harry nodded in agreement.  
  
"I can't say I disagree with you." In truth, Harry thought the world needed someone who would dirty their hands so that others could be spared. Perhaps if someone would have gotten involved Tom Riddle wouldn't have been able to gain such a foothold through his servants.  
  
"Still, In this day and age it is hard to find such men of action. Good day Mr. Potter." As the teacher walked off Harry was left to wonder if he knew what the teacher had implied. Did he actually suggest Harry be that man. That would be something he'd have to think about. Was he even trained enough to do that?  
  
Harry returned to his quarters and hung his sword by the bed. If Dumbledore expected him to leave directly after the meeting than he would have to prepare ahead of time. After reading one of the various books he read during the summer he already had a good idea what equipment he could use. Which meant that he would have to make a trip to Diagon Alley.  
  
After setting the file on a desk in the room he began to sift through the maps papers and pictures in the folder. There were numerous information contacts and possible locations to go through. He hung the six pictures on a board set up by the wall, then he began setting up the maps. He didn't want to take this into information into the field so he would memorize all he could before leaving.  
  
Since most were recovering from the events of the last few days, Harry chose to use this time to make his trip to the Alley. After checking the name of equipment supplier on the contact list, Harry set off for the Apparition zone outside the castle gates.  
  
He collected a green cloak that matched his travel robes and made sure that the hood covered his face. Then he used a handy charm to shadow his features. The charm was meant to dim lights, but Remus had begun showing him how to alter charms to suit his needs. Just this summer he was using this charm to hide rope snares and traps set up for catching food.  
  
After knocking on a door, that pretends to be a wall, 32 times the thing decided to open and allow him passage. You could never really tell how many times you'd have to knock with this particular passage. Sometimes it was quicker just to take the normal way. The record before it opened, that is before most people give up, is 593 knocks. However, it does bring you directly down to just off the entrance hall.  
  
Harry pushed open the door and stepped out into the fresh air. It's amazing how sweet air can smell when it's not tainted with blood. A quick walk to the Apparition zone and Harry was ready to make his first real Apparition. Oh, he'd done it across clearings, but this was a bit further. Harry took a moment to focus and then worked the self transfiguration. With a small pop, Harry was scattered into thousands of tiny bits, traveling at the speed of light. With another pop he found himself outside the entrance to Knockturn Alley.  
  
He received several glances from back to school crowd. It seemed that even if Fudge was hushing Voldemort's return some people where being more wary of dark strangers. Harry began his walk down the outskirts of the shady streets of Knockturn Alley.  
  
Knockturn Alleys small streets had a perpetual layer of grim and it seemed that a cloud had decided to take up residence directly over it. The people that frequented it's streets were those you wouldn't like to run into at night. Not that you'd want to run into them at all. Still, in his dark robes, Harry fit in with the other shady characters who gathered here.  
  
After passing by a rather over priced stand selling vampire tooth Harry came to a little shop without a name. Many of the shops down Knockturn Alley didn't have names. After all one didn't simply browse Knockturn Alley. Harry read the little sign in the window.  
  
Unusual Supplies- No Questions Asked  
  
Harry pushed the door open and was surprised with what he saw. It wasn't the strange gadets that drew his attention, nor was it the strange aroma of garlic. It was the identical red headed boys standing at the counter arguing with the attendant.  
  
"Now see here, we agreed on 30 galleons. Not a knut more or less. You can't just go around changing the price." The one who Harry thought was Fred shouted.  
  
"50 galleons is simply to much. I mean, South African skunk cabbage is hard to come by, but not that hard to come by." Harry grimaced a bit after George spoke. How much skunk cabbage were they planning to buy, and just what was South African skunk cabbage. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like it smelled good.  
  
"Look, it cost me extra to get the stuff through customs. Besides, if your not willing to pay I can find someone else." Fred just snickered.  
  
"Yeah right, who are you going to get to buy 90 kg of South African skunk cabbage." Harry stepped forward and the man at the counter noticed him.  
  
"Step aside you two and allow a real customer with real money to come forward." The twins stepped back and shot the store clerk a dirty look.  
  
"Beautiful day isn't it?" The man's attention was grabbed and he gave Harry his full attention.  
  
"It's always cloudy in Knockturn Alley." The man replied.  
  
"And there are even darker clouds on the horizon." The man nodded and then turned back to the twins.  
  
"You'll have to leave, I have business to attend to." The twins now looked incredibly put off, but Harry interrupted.  
  
"No, no, that's fine. Besides, these two aren't the ones you want to be messing with." The twins gave him a suspicious look. They could almost tell his voice, but it seemed out of place. The clerk turned back to the twins. He considered them for a moment then pulled two crates out from behind the desk. The crates gave off a awful stench even though they seemed to be spelled to keep the odor in.  
  
"Fine, 30 galleons." The twins handed over a small satchel and, after giving Harry one last curious look, they took their crates. Now that the twins were gone the clerk turned back to Harry.  
  
"The names Rex, though I don't expect you'll give me yours. What'll it be?" Harry thought for a moment.  
  
"I'll need a locate and capture package, and probably a level 4 surveillance package." The man nodded and brought two leather brief cases out.  
  
"Both cases are fully warded and should pass most standard scans, Muggle and magical. Anything else?" Harry thought for a moment.  
  
"I'll need a tracking potion and locator amulet to go along with it. It can not be detected, that is imperative. I don't mind sacrificing range to increase secrecy. I'll need it to last for as long as possible." The man pondered Harry's request.  
  
"The duration will be the tough part. Most tracking potions with a duration that long have to be given in a high potency level. That jeopardizes the secrecy, not to mention I don't think you want them to know they've taken it. How about a self replicating addition, yes that would do the trick. Only side effect is a increased appetite and cravings for anchovies." After leaving the front he came back with a small vile of a clear liquid and a small amulet.  
  
"This'll due, it's indistinguishable except through a body fluid scan. Integrates within the cells and uses their reproductive abilities to replicate itself. Lasts for up to two months before the body rejects it. It'll give you about a two mile range. Make sure to get a sample of the persons DNA after ingestion. Anything will do. Hair is probably the easiest to get a hold of. Just insert it into the amulet." Harry gave the man a brief nod and took the small vial and amulet. The amulet itself was nothing more that a small jar on a string with a crystal imbedded in the center. He slid the vial into a small leather hip case and tucked the amulet in as well.  
  
"What do you have in the way of disguises?" He didn't really think he needed anything, but he wanted to be prepared.  
  
"I have about five doses of poly juice in store." Harry had him add this to the order and then slid that into the small hip case also.  
  
"You know who to bill this to correct." The man nodded and Harry took the two briefcases of the counter. He turned and headed towards the door. Still, he could hear the shop keep speaking as he left.  
  
"Honestly, sometimes it seems the good guys are as unsavory as the bad ones." Harry had to suppress a grin, if he only knew.  
  
Harry exited the shop and made his way down the alley when two men stopped him. They were much taller then him and one seemed to be missing several teeth.  
  
"What yah got there? Mind if we have a look? Mind if we take whatever we want? Don't see it making any difference one way or another."  
  
Harry took a step back and assesed his options. He couldn't call for help as he was in Knockturn Alley and most likely he'd just call more attackers. He couldn't Apparate because the alley was well warded to protect it's inhabitants. And he couldn't run because that's just not really that much fun.  
  
"Of course you know that I can't just let you take my packs. Your welcome to try though." The two men smiled and Harry inclined his head.  
  
"You want it so much? Take it!" With that Harry threw the two cases at the man on the left.  
  
Unprepared for the attack, the man was caught off guard. The cases struck him hard in the stomach and he was unable to draw his wand. Harry summoned a fallen pipe to him and struck out at the other man. The heavy metal pipe struck him in the shoulder and he stumbled to the left. While distracted Harry kicked the other man in the groin and grabbed the cases before he dropped them. A bright white light struck his shoulder and searing pain coursed through his body, but Harry had learned to ignore the inconvenience. He felt the battle rage try to overwhelm him, but he suppressed it for fear of what he might do. Spells flew through Harry's mind, but only one would be perfect for now. In an instant he had it and shouted the incantation. A invisible force ripped through the small alleyway dragging debris and street tiles behind it. The force past the two men, leaving them unharmed, but the storm of debris that followed was not as innocuous. Bricks and stones showered the two men, pelting each of them with new pain. A particulars large brick slammed into one mans stomach and he collapsed to his knees. Harry leapt at the man and spring boarded off his prostrated form. Flinging his feet forward he slammed into the other man. The toothless stranger took the full impact of Harry's weight and toppled into a stand selling various questionable potion ingredients. The scent of burning flesh indicated that some of those ingredients weren't safe to handle. The man leapt to his feet to clear himself of the debris only to find that Harry had reacquired the pipe once more, and it was being swung at his face. The pipe made contact and bones snapped under the force. The man fell to the ground and stopped moving, blood dripping from his battered face which was no longer recognizable. Harry wasn't prepared for the other man to charge into him from behind. He slammed into Harry's back and forced him against the wall. The man slammed Harry's head once against the wall before he could react. Harry kicked up and put his feet on the wall. Then he pushed off sending the man falling onto his back and Harry on top of him. Harry grouped for the fallen pipe then straddled the fallen man. He pressed the pipe against the mans throat until he finally stopped moving.  
  
Harry arose and gathered his cases, It was almost humorous to note that no one had given them any notice during their skirmish. Then again, it was probably a common occurrence here. Harry could tell that his shoulder was injured and sticky with blood, but not bad enough to warrant not being able to finish his shopping.  
  
Back in Diagon Alley Harry was preparing to make his usual school rounds when the thought that he wouldn't be going to school struck him. Well there would still be various supplies he'd need. He'd need to refill his potions kits as well as gather some other useful ingredients for whatever could come up while in the field. He'd also need to at least pick up the course books so he could make sure he was caught up. He didn't have to get school robes as he wasn't planning to be attending school for at least another few months.  
  
So with this in mind Harry set off to gather what he'd need outside of his mission. In a few hours he had his supplies. Surprisingly everyone wanted him out of their stores as quickly as possible. Perhaps more people than he assumed was taking Dumbledore's advice.  
  
***  
  
August 23rd Saturday  
  
***  
  
Harry had barricaded himself in his room for the past two days. No one entered the room those two days. However the reasons for no one entering were completely different from the reason he didn't come out.  
  
The reason he chose not to come out was because he was busy preparing. He had fully familiarized himself with his equipment as well as all prevalent information surrounding his targets. The reason no one entered was because of the paper printed the day after the battle.  
  
Moving pictures of a man, once thought of as a boy, charging down the face of a mountain. Even in the pictures he was a thing to be taken seriously. Though he was leading giants he seemed to be filled with a presence larger than they. Other pictures of the carnage wrought by the boy and his avenging force were enough turn many appetites. Of course the article that was written dramatized a already dramatic event. Rita had covered up something and exaggerated others.  
  
She wrote that Dumbledore had fought these strange beasts to a stand still. Leaving out the fact that Dumbledore was forced into full retreat. Than she wrote of how the boy had lead an allied party into the heart of the enemy to drive them off.  
  
Still, not all worked in favor. Do to no clear pictures of actual humans in the enemy camp, they could not point the finger at death eaters. The minister was still capable of shooting any claims of you know who's return as rumor.  
  
But another good thing had come of this. The fact that the creatures were spotted attacking outside France made them a official international threat. France was however mostly lost. So the International Confederation of Wizarding Nations (ICWN) had officially declared a emergency. The only nation not in agreement was Britain, and with Fudge in charge this was no surprise. Still the majority had won and plans were being implemented. As of 12:00 tonight France would be considered a no travel zone. All Apparition in and out of France would be prohibited. Port keys would be blocked as well as all other forms of magical transportation. A boarder line would be maintained surrounding France on both land and sea. All magical creatures would be stopped and checked. Also a plan for the evacuation as well as to deliver supplies to resistance would begin.  
  
As for the public reaction, it was quite mixed. Some felt confident that the ministry would handle the situation. Others ignored it because it wasn't affecting them directly. In Harry's case, no one really knew how to react. So they just didn't get involved. Those who knew Harry that stayed in the castle had been mostly briefed on the battle so they knew what happened with Harry. They chose to not say anything about it. As for Remus and Sirius, they had choose not to bring the paper to Harry's attention. Luckily Harry's friends still thought he was unable to be reached, so they hadn't attempted to write to him. If they knew that this would be the last day they would be able to reach him for awhile he would have been swamped with letters. Probably howlers from some of the woman in his life.  
  
So Harry remained blissfully unaware of the rest of the Wizarding world being informed to some degree of what happened in the mountains.  
  
Dumbledore gave Harry a synopsis of what he would need to know. Harry was pleasantly surprised that he at least knew a vast majority of the concepts if not the spells. So, he had shrunk most of his book and placed them in a travel pack. He strapped the two briefcases to his pack and prepared to bring them down to the main hall with him. The sword would have to stay, it wasn't something he could take with him. It would bring to much attention to him. Especially on a mission that would bring him to areas that it was best to blend in at. Instead he had acquired two large daggers. The blades were sleek and slim and were about as long as his finger tips to elbow. The technique for fighting with these blades was vastly different from what he was used to, but they were more then adept for stealthy work. They were hidden in small scabbards attached behind him. They ran horizontal on his waste line, this way one handle faced left and the other right.  
  
He was dressed in his red battle robes in full gear. The blades were camouflaged well behind his back, and his pack was on his back. After placing his bag in a small alcove near the entrance to the great hall he placed a notice me not spell to keep attention away from the packages. Then he entered the great hall.  
  
The great hall was alive with more people than Harry had ever met before. There were to many wizards to count gathered in the hall. In fact it seemed that the hall had been lengthened to hold the extra wizards. They all seemed so happy to be seeing each other again. It was almost to bad it wouldn't last, the reason for this meeting was much more serious than a simple reunion. Some kept glancing at him and then attracting their groups attention. It seemed that many of the eyes in the room had been trained on him.  
  
Dumbledore spotted him and beckoned towards the front. Harry complied with the Headmaster and found himself seated at the head table next to his disguised godfather.  
  
A/N- Sirius is not currently using poly juice. Just various disguising spells.  
  
"Have any idea when this mad house will begin?" Harry asked his godfather.  
  
"Not a clue, I almost feel like I should be hiding. Dumbledore told me something disturbing this morning." Harry knew this would come up eventually, but he chose to play dumb. He had other things that he had to focus on. Like opening his small side case so that he could drug Sirius. Being able to track his godfather would make his job a hell of a lot easier. Even if he was bending what Dumbledore had told him about keeping the identity of the other two agents vague. This was his best way to keep a eye on his queries.  
  
"Oh really? Would it have anything to do with my not returning?" Sirius turned his head to look in Dumbledore's direction. While he looked away Harry slipped most of the vials contents into his godfathers drink, then slipped the vial with the remainder back into the pouch.  
  
"Look, Dumbledore said he couldn't tell me what you were doing so I won't push you. Just.be careful for me. If something happens to you I won't be able to keep my promise, will I?" Harry smiled a bit, he looked forward to spending time with his godfather. Sirius took a sip from his goblet and Harry watched him take the trace potion. Now all he need to do would be to swab the glass, or take a hair, or even a toe nail clipping would do. Harry waited for Sirius to look away, then he used a quick flick of one of his knives to snitch some hair.  
  
All in all it went off with out a hitch, he would now be fully aware of his godfathers location. Now he could dedicate most of his time to tracking down Wormtail.  
  
Soon Dumbledore had hushed the crowd and shown them to their seats. When all had turned their attentions to him he began.  
  
"I am glad to see so many familiar faces once more. I am only sorry that this couldn't be under better circumstances. As many of you have read, a new threat has risen. This knew threat comes in hand with a old enemy. Despite what the minister has declared I firmly believe that Voldemort has arisen. Worse yet, he is in command of these strange creatures we know so little about. Only through the combined efforts of many dedicated wizards and our allies were we able to claim some small victory over Voldemort. Now I need to issue a call to arms. A call to those who are willing to fight for the future, for their children's future. I do not wish to pressure you now. But I do hope to know who I can count on by the 1st of September. Please think carefully on what part you will have in shaping the future." Harry was amazed how Dumbledore could drop such a bombshell and expect everyone to just go back to happy chatter. Still everyone did eventually begin to eat the prepared meal. By the end of the meal most had retired with contemplative looks on their faces. Not many would be sleeping in Hogwarts tonight.  
  
Harry would be one of those, he had already gathered his pack. Now he stood by the gates of Hogwarts, seemingly prepared for the task ahead of him. Still, could he ever be prepared for apprehending his parents betrayer?  
  
******  
  
(A/N I'd Like to thank my reviewer. I Appreciate each and every one of them. I'd also like to apologize for the weight. I wish I had more time than I do to work on this fic. The next chap should be out before the 30th I have a bit of a case of insomnia so I got a bit of extra writing time.)  
  
Alia West: Glad you liked the chapter, hope you like this one to.  
  
GunSmoke: Thanks for the review. If you liked that chapter you'll love the next. All sorts of fighting in dark alley ways and such.  
  
Naomi SilverWolf : Thanks for the review  
  
sew2100 : Thank you very much  
  
Rogue1615: Yes, Everyone did change through that last fight, they're really almost uncomfortable to approach him on it really. And we'll see some mixing of wizards and muggle stuff soon.  
  
Oriana Dumbledore: Thankyou very much, That chapter was one that I had been eagerly waiting for. It was all planned out in my head before I even started that fic. To know that I was able to portray it like I wanted to makes me feel really good.  
  
Angelis: That is a really cool compliment, to know that I had that impact is just awesome. I think you'll really like the next chapter as well. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
BlackDragon: Your going to have to wait a little for reactions from the Weasleys and Hermione. As for the giant at Hogwarts, Harry won't be back for one more chapter which covers about a month. (It's a bit on the long side) anyway the student body may not be as kind to her as Harry would like. There'll be hell to pay when he does return though.  
  
M.I.A.: Yeah I find that some battles get convoluted, I really try to keep it clear. And about school. The year starts in the next chapter, but Harry won't be returning till the one after next. Then he's back for a while and lots of awkwardness with the student body and friends.  
  
chaser : Thanks for the review.  
  
Kathleen: The reactions from the students will be something tuff for Harry. He's going to have to come to grips with always being different. But the independance will be something he won't regret.  
  
ender2000: The next few will be coming out quickly, I've come down with a case of insomnia and it leaves me with some extra time.  
  
CatatonicReaction: Thanks for the review  
  
sam: Thanks for the review  
  
Them Girl: Nope I hate to sugar coat things. Next chapter will have some parts that are totally sour. Actually their meant to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Like at one point Harry will end up over in France at a magical village after Voldemort went through. It will be somewhat reminiscent of the religious cleansing that would occur in different parts of Africa. It's going to put Voldemorts perfect society in the black light it deserves.  
  
Pheonixrising: I appreciate the review! It's good to know people like my story.  
  
Animagiman: Thnaks a lot for the review, I really worked to blend magic and force. You'll see some great fights in the next chapter. Which should be coming out quite soon. Insomnia has given me more time to write. As for a date. No later then the 30th probably a lot sooner, damn sleepless nights.  
  
Kaelli Karali : We'll learn more about the map in the next chapter as well as the bare bones we learned here. As for sequels, this is a full three year fic.  
  
Renee Fay: Thankyou very much for the review!!!  
  
Nerwen: Yes I value the change of characters. You always have to take into account what a character feels before writing them. I struugle to put myself in the write mindset every time I write. As for the wizarding world, we'll see a lot about them in the chapter after the next. With Harry disappearing things will have time to fester.  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: I always appreciate your reviews. I've kinda been thinkin that Harry's at a age of self discovery. Maybe war is more like a furnace, though it does shatter the unprepared, it still does refine other works to new levels of purity.  
  
Mel-chan : Thanks whole bunchs, I appreciate the review tremendously. I really worked hard on that last chapter.  
  
Shanwhiz: There will come a time when compromises can no longer be reached. Still, for now they can work within each others rules.  
  
TheUnknown: Yes, Harry has a dream and becomes the heir of everyone and their mother. All their lifes memories are stuffed into his head, and he becomes able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This isn't a recipe for fanfics, it's a recipe for a good multiple personality disorder. Harry won't be doing any planet destroying in this fic, no sir.  
  
Leaps: Yes I did through in a cryptic remark. You know whats worse? You won't be finding anything more about it for another like 4 chapters. Muhahaha. But seriously, I try to keep cliff hangers to a minimum.  
  
Gandhi: Thanks for the review!!! I was going for a sort of epic battle!!  
  
Javier: Thanks for the review!!!  
  
Darvio: Thanks for the compliment, I really work hard to make a flowing plot and character development.  
  
Pensieve: Yeah, I think Harry would have lost some of his idealism. More of that will be challenged in future chaps, and we will see just how far he's willing to go.  
  
AJaKe: I'm really glad you like the fic!  
  
dn: Thanks for the review, The next chapter should be soon. 


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